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 Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:22 pm
Out and About In accordance with my new resolution to meet more people I went out to the feien shop with Rishi today. At first I thought I was alone, but then I spotted Neruo. He said he was there reading up about herbs for use in medicine. Medicine from plants? What an intriguing concept.
Anyway, Neruo told me about a tavern for feien and bonds that had just opened. He said they were hiring! I'm a little nervous as I've never held a job before, but I told Neruo I would apply for a position there tomorrow. I am pretty responsible and excellent at memorizing things. And this will be an excellent opportunity to get out and do something with my life.
Neruo also said he would be my friend. It felt nice to hear that from someone. Maybe I'll try and read up on herbs before I see him again so we have something to talk about.~ Ruya A Job! I've got a job. I'm gonna be a bouncer at this new tavern that opened up. It should be a great opportunity to keep my edge as well as people and feien watching. I can't wait to start.
In other news, I have reached a standstill in my experimentation. I don't have a microscope. I demanded one of Kam, but she told me that people didn't make them in my size. My size! I refuse to believe fairies have not asked to be involved in genetics, molecular biology, or chemistry. Now I have to go figure out how to construct one. Is everything in this life set in place to conspire against my ultimate aims?~ Sunil
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:24 pm
In Which Sunil Dispenses Knowledge Sunil Sunil was pissed off. It was hot and her closet didn't have air conditioning. Beyond that her research was going poorly. She couldn't help thinking she was going in the wrong direction. Frustrated, she stomped into the store and kicked the wall before flitting up into the store windowsill. Hopefully someone would come by and divert her attention from her sulking. Calico Two bad moods did not make a good one, so Calico's arrival could have been an untimely one when he was appearing at the shop much at the same time she had fluttered herself onto the sill ... but then again perhaps he could have been felt coming a time beforehand. And also their moods weren't much alike as she was restless with her anger and he? He was a little dead today. "...?" When that dark yet colorful feien appeared before the window sill, wings humming on overdrive to hover him in exactly one place and lightly stir his dreadlocks by the breeze in their own wake. He frowned at the large blue feien already present on his favorite spot, raising his chin in a touch of disgusted defiance... but it was short lived. He just flit down and settled a good ruler's length from her with a near audible sigh. Bah. Tonight sucked. Sunil Sunil closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Calico was not the person she wanted to see. She wanted to tear someone limb from limb, not have to play nice to try and keep him in her orbit. "Haven't seen you around. Avoiding me?" Sunil tensed up where she sat. She remembered that Calico was unpredictably violent at times. Calico Calico was unusually silent at first, blinking in front of him into the night in much the direction he had just arrived from. An ear twitched like a mule being disturbed by a fly and he eventually just closed his eyes in a lazy sort of arrogance. "I went tah hell," He announced in a flat tone. " 'n it involv'd men in skirts." Eyes half opened and despite being only slits their light orange coloring made them as brilliant and clear as a gem in sunlight. They peered at her sidelong as he added on. "And dun't yah ever ******** expect meh tah explain that." Sunil Sunil relaxed enough to laugh. She rearranged her wings and laid down on the sill. "I don't need you to explain it. I really don't give a s**t. What I would like to talk to you about is your magic. Have you thought any further on what your element might be?" She might as well get down to business while he was here. Calico Calico twisted his lips into a half frown and a half scowl. She had told him to do that, and as surprising as it seemed he hadn't forgotten. Because he didn't forget it was that magic crap that made her stronger then him, and he wanted to know it for that. "... I know what it ain't." Was what he said at last. Just because he wanted to know it didn't make him anymore brighter then he failed to be at times. He wasn't necessarily stupid as he just wasn't a deeper thinker. "It ain't water. It ain't fire. Sure as hell ain't that... ah, ********, whut is tha' annoy'n b*****d? Air? Whatevah, not that. Mmm..." He leaned backwards on his elbows, lounging by now as he stared more toward the sky. He hadn't figured out how to test the others, he just knew what he hated. Sunil Sunil frowned, but did not sit up. "Assuming it is something easy to test for and it isn't fire or water, I think that we should try air, earth, light, and darkness. So do you feel a strong preference for light versus dark? Given your personality I would like to say you're darkness, but I don't believe element really has anything to do with personality. So it would be prudent for you to think about air and earth. Do you like flying? Do you feel at home moving quickly? Or do you prefer to be on the ground? Do you feel an affinity with the earth?" It was a rather long speech for Sunil, she really preferred not to speak so much with others. Calico Calico didn't care much for people who talked a lot either, but tonight he'd stand for it. He was dulled from his annoying 'vacation experience' and not to mention he had to get this done with. He exaggerated a sigh to start then cocked his head over to one side. "Mov'n quickly? 'ell no, damn sick'n stuff." He replied immediately, venomously with experience. "Mm.. I guess the ground, yah?" Sitting up fully he dropped his eyes from the skies and over the sills edge to the grass life sprouting from the dirt. "It dun't annoy me, tha's all I know." Sunil Sunil snorted and sat up. "Does anything else 'not annoy' you?" She hopped off the windowsill and flew over to peruse the earth spells. It wasn't an element she was familiar with. "Hmm... you have a lot of interesting potential spells here. I would suggest starting with your element before you try to master non-elemental spells. I find the elemental ones much easier." Sunil tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Your lowest possible spell can turn your skin harder, which ought to be useful in a fight." Sunil slowly floated her way back over to the windowsill by Calico and peered down at him. "Why don't we try sitting outside on the ground? It might make this easier for you." Calico Calico cocked his head to let his eyes follow her as she flew off somewhere, but since it didn't interest him he was soon staring out the window until her return. "Tch." He clucked his tongue in annoyance and gave a half glance up. "I hafta move? ... Bugger." He just got comfortable but whatever. He needed to learn whatever she knew, however stupid this felt. He had to keep a step ahead of those other feien and their annoying defiance. So up he hefted himself, buzzing his wings as though they needed a warm up before he lit from the sill and shot easily down to the grounds below. And in truth, as he settled, he liked it there better. He was a nature guy... not that he appreciated it, he just felt more confident around it. Sunil Sunil followed Calico out the window and settled on the ground. She noted that Calico looked more comfortable here, lending legitimacy to his claim he might be earth. "So close you eyes and try to feel the earth. I know it seems stupid and touchy feely, but trust me. You've got magic in you and if its earth then you should feel some affinity with the ground. If you can feel the earth then try looking inside yourself for your magic. You need to be able to feel it to use it." Sunil crossed her arms ans stayed standing. She had a feeling that teaching Calico magic could be trouble. Calico "Eeh?" Calico rose a brow as she spoke then rolled his eyes, giving his wings a brief buzz before he just plopped himself down in absolute laziness. "Why does cool stuff hafta involve bullsh't?" But tonight, if only tonight, he was trying to be reasonable. He was annoyed but interested, clashing together and fighting for patience when he had none. His eyes closed and he leaned back on his hands, seeming to just be rebelliously uncaring but it infact rested his hands on the ground which he unconciously curled his fingers into the soil, digging them in. "N the 'ell am I feel'n fer?" But he had a hunch he was feeling it already even as he asked. Sunil Sunil sighed, magic was primarily a thing of instinct once you were aware of it, but she was pretty sure Calico wouldn't like that answer. "To me my magic feels like a ball somewhere around my stomach. It obviously doesn't actually exist, but thats where I visualize it. It feels kinda like a mini whirlwind at times that I can manipulate by thinking about what I would like it to do. Yours will not be the same, but similar I assume." Calico Calico was half listening by this point, accepting her reasoning to a point but generally throwing it out as useless information. He wasn't her, and he sure as hell had no whirlwind stirring inside of him. "Stomach?" He mumbled absently, less of a question then a loose acknowledgement. He felt something, but he didn't have a word for it as impressive as a whirlwind. And in fact he felt it more in his head then deep inside his body. And his chest, but that seemed secondary. "Whut do I do wit' it?" It felt like a muscle almost, ignoring all spiritul and lovey words to give the elemental feeling. Behind that it felt like a muscle less used, tempting him to flex but he avoided doing so if only because he didn't feel like making a mistake and having to backtrack. That'd be boring. Sunil Sunil crossed her arms and frowned. "I don't know. Haven't you been listening? Its different for everyone. But you ought to find it easy to do the first of the earth elemental spells. Try to to use your magic to make your skin harder. I'll punch you when you think you're ready so we can see if it worked." Sunil smirked. Maybe she would get to hit someone after all. Calico Calico twitched an eyebrow and peeked open one eye, staring blankly at Sunil for a moment. "I hafta let yah hit meh?" Okay, this plan he didn't like. Twitch twitch went that eyebrow and he shut his eyes more tightly in irritation. Was this magic supposed to make him stronger? Fine then, lets try this. So he'd grasp that discovery he made, that muscle as he declared it. Though it was part of him it felt unfamiliar and challenging... it felt like moving a limb you didn't know you had. It went in several directions but at the moment it felt easier to go in only one, to stretch out and consume himself in the magic that spilled like some kind of liquid. Syrup. Constricting... annoying as it was natural. "... keh... fine..." He wasn't so sure but then again as natural as it was, even instinct needed experience. He pushed himself to his feet, and only when risen did he open his eyes. Sunil Sunil smirked and ounched Calico in the gut without asking him if he was ready. She really didn't bother to go all out on the off chance he hadn't managed to use his magic. Calico Calico was caught quite off guard at that and didn't even get a chance to defend even if he was supposedly meant to let her hit him. The impact was different then the times he had been hit before, and he could feel that. It was only a level different, the magic wasn't mastered and the spell hadn't formed entirely but still he could feel the difference as much as his skin felt different to the touch at that. ... But it still hurt. It didn't take a full force hit to take wind from the lungs and since he hadn't managed to grasp his spell fully (it was only his first try, after all) he was doubled over a moment for a grasp of air. A small wheeze came from him and he proceeded to shake... and despite how he knew she had done that for a purpose he was suddenly in one, unexpected and strong push off the ground, attacking her. Sunil Sunil was too busy being pleased with herself to notice she was being attacked and so didn't do anything to protect herself before Calico was on her. "s**t. I am teaching you nothing more if you don't stop attacking me all the time!" Calico Calico had, goodness knows how, scaled her by the time he heard her. His wings were buzzing wildly to keep himself at the awkward place he had gotten himself, one foot against her upper chest, fingers fisting her hair and his other hand drawn back with the intention to strike. It was truly only his wings keeping him there. "T-tch..." He shook almost violently for a few moments, gritting his teeth together and ending up catching his lower lip in the mix until blood welled. Then with a sharp exhale he released her entirely and flit backwards, touching back down on the ground before her numbly. Sunil Sunil clenched and unclenched her fists. Despite her superior self-control her blood was up as well and she badly wanted a good fight. "I think we're done for now. You'll need to practice your magic for it to improve. Anything you need from me before I leave?" Her voice was clipped as she spoke. Sunil had already started off the ground, lifting herself up in preparation for flight. Calico "..." Calico had only turned his head away, drooped in such a way that his expression was lost behind the spill of dual colored dreadlocks. He just shook and panted like a runner recovering from a marathon, fists shivering at his sides. He never did answer... and in truth beyond his fury he didn't need to ask her anything as he knew what to do now. He had to practice that feeling and that.. spell, if it was. Whatever he just did, he had to perfect that. This, at least, he knew how to do alone.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:26 pm
In Which Ruya Gets a New Hobby and a New Friend Tosten Tosten had painted the view from the window outside of his home at least a hundred times. The other windows? A good fifty times at least! Today... he wanted to paint something fresh, something entirely new! This was why he had fluttered into the shop that day and even now was perched upon the open window sill. A few of the store paint bowls had been borrowed and a canvas brought from home was his current working place. The canvas was just a small mimic version made for decorating a doll house, but Nekota had painted it white to be a blank 'real artist canvas' for a feien. Humming quietly to himself the older feien was dabbing about color happily, glancing up now and again to measure the sunset and resume his work. He had advanced in his art since childhood, his paintings were becoming true images beyond his preferred splatters when he had been a juvenile. Ruya Outside the store entrance Ruya took a deep breath and drew herself up a little straighter. In accordance with her resolution she had journeyed out of the house to the store to meet new feien. Sha had not brought her beloved Rishi with her this time. When she walked through the door Ruya glanced around the store for signs of life. She was relieved to see there weren't too many feien around. In fact there only seemed to be one and he had his back to her. "Hello?" Ruya lifted herself up into the air and headed for the unknown feien. Tosten The humming trailed off and Tosten blinked up sharply, sending a startled glance over his shoulder toward the voice. It was a skittish response but when only a juvenile, small and unfamiliar, greeted his sights a smile came into place. "Hello!" Chirped back the friendly voice. He dabbed a bit more red onto the sunset sky then set the brush onto the rim of one acorn bowl so to turn fully toward the approaching juvenile in absolute curiosity. Something about her looked familiar and he hoped he wasn't supposed to know her name. Had he met her before? Oh dear, how rude if he had forgotten! Ruya Ruya landed by Tosten and peeked curiously at his painting in progress. "Hi. I like your painting. It is very nice. My name is Ruya by the way." Ruya smiled up at the adult, happy to have not stumbled across someone like Sunil. Tosten Internally, Tosten was experiencing much the same feeling. This feien was friendly, thank goodness. It made his smile all the more bright, and his wings poofed in a silly way as he preened proudly at the compliment of his painting. "Thank you! I've been practicing hard on it and I've learned these cool cheats - well, hints really that work only with sunsets so I thought I'd-- ..." His excited rambling trailed off and a dumb look overtook him, his wide eyes blinking at her twice. Then suddenly he lurched back a little in surprise, pointing at her startledly as though she had just grown another head. "Uwah?! You're RUYA??" No wonder she looked familiar! She reminded him of her siblings! Ruya Ruya's eyes went a little wide and she stepped back as Tosten pointed at her. She wrapped her arms around herself and got ready to fly away if necessary. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've met before. Perhaps you have me confused with someone else?" Ruya couldn't imagine why some strange feien had such a strong reaction to her. She barely ever left the house. Tosten Tosten took a moment to realize he was scaring her and managed to calm his excitement. He had been wondering sometimes if she even existed since he never met her nor saw her with her family. But there she was, right here! "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's okay." He hurriedly said, holding his hands before him in his best harmless manner. "It's just... I've always wanted to meet you! For, like, a long time now! Really long!" Or at least, for him, it felt really long. Then again a day felt long to him but still. Long time! Honestly. Ruya Ruya relaxed a little and stepped back closer to the unknown adult. He wanted to meet with ... her? "You did? Why? I mean... as far as I know most people don't know who I am, so how could you both know and want to meet me?" Ruya was just plain puzzled. He seemed awfully excited to meet her, but she had no idea who he was. Tosten Tosten plunked his hands upon the sill before him, leaning upon them some in such a childish perch that he just couldn't mature beyond. Feathery wings mantled up around him and shivered happily. "I know you cause you're Ares' daughter, and Ares is one of my beeeeestest friends ever!" He replied with such pride. "I know Nero and Merrimack, but I never got to meet you! Aah, this is so cool!!" Ruya "Oh, " Ruya laughed a little nervously in relief. It was good to know this was just about her family and nothing more. "Yeah, I don't get out as much as my brothers must. Sorry. You would have been welcome to visit, you should have asked Ares for directions." Ruya fidgeted a little, what would this feien think of her in comparison to her siblings? "I don't believe you've told me your name..." Tosten Tosten blinked at the first comment and looked rather sheepish. Why hadn't he just asked Ares where Ruya lived? It would have been much more intelligent then sitting around wondering if this supposed daughter really existed. "Huh? Oh! I'm Tosten!" He replied finally, offering up a hand in proper greeting manners. As well as hoping to get her to open up a tad, the way she was keeping her distance and hugging herself seemed so withdrawn. Ruya Ruya unwound an arm and stepped forward to shake Tosten's offered one. "I am pleased to meet you Tosten. I had no idea my mother had friends, " Ruya giggled a little at herself, " I mean I suppose I should have known she did, but it seems odd to try and picture one's parents as people in their own right." Suddenly Ruya had a thought. It was possible Tosten would be willing to indulge her curiosity about Sunil's past. "Oh. If you were friends with Ares, did you know a feien named Sunil? She is mostly dark blue and kind of a pain..." Tosten When Ruya took the risk of shaking Tosten's hand, he took that chance and ran a mile. Sure he innocently shook her hand once but afterwards he gave a few gentle tugs and stubbornly encouraged her to sit down with him, not about to let her leave until he got to know her better. "Uh?" Her first comments confused him, not understanding what she meant about finding it odd to think of ones parents as people. Well... thats probably because he never had parents, it had to be something only she understood. At her question though his smile faltered, flickering out then returning on pure practice no matter how hard it was to do it. "Uh-huh, I knew Sunil. Why?" Ruya Ruya allowed herself to be pulled down and sit with Tosten. He seemed so genuine and friendly she couldn't help but match his smile. She felt bad for mentioning Sunil when his smile flickered. What had she done to Tosten? "Oh nothing big, " she rushed to reassure him, "It it just that I live with her and I still don't know very much about her. And I just recently found out she and my mom had been friends at one point. Just curious is all." Ruya searched for something else to talk about in desperation. She barely knew Tosten and already she had upset him in some way. "So, you were saying something earlier about painting? I've never been very creative myself, but I was thinking I might like to try and do something artistic. How did you get started?" Tosten Tosten was pleased when she settled down, determined to get her comfortable... or at least try, he didn't want one of Ares' kids nervous of him, he wanted to know them all after all. Her hurried reassurance was noticed and, not wanting to worry her, he smiled a little more quietly as he added in despite her topic change. "Don't worry, if you want to talk about something I will. I love my memories of Sunil, I can tell you childhood stories about her." He put a finger to his lips in a playfully hushed manner. "But just keep it secret, okay?" Ruya Ruya smiled and leaned back on her arms. "Ok! I can keep a secret." She was thrilled. Stories about Sunil! Tosten Tosten seemed pleased with her response as it seemed to make her happy. He puffed a breath and tapped his chin in a dramatic thinking manner. Here's hoping he remembered things right, sometimes the stories got mixed up in his head. "Sunil was really troublesome when she was younger, but thats what made her so much fun." He admitted mischeviously. "I think what I remember best about her was when me, her and another feien - Seamus - we snuck into the back room of this very shop." He peered toward the back door thoughtfully, mildly surprised that he hadn't been back there since that incident. And with good reason, Em hadn't been pleased at all. "We were looking for information on something, I really remember what. It was like a whole secret mission... but we were caught!" He announced dramatically like he was retelling some silly television drama. "I got yelled at and Seamus got yelled at - but you know what? Sunil was so good at talking that she didn't get in trouble at all! She's always been smart like that, ever since I met her." Ruya "Yeah, I know what you mean. Kam hardly ever punishes her for anything she does. Didn't you get mad that you got punished and she didn't?" Ruya glanced towards the back room. Was there something in there to find worth getting in trouble for? "And how did you get caught? Did someone walk in on you?" Tosten "Mad?" Tosten echoed puzzledly as though the thought had never occurred to him. "Nu-uh. It's not her fault I got yelled at. I didn't have to go back there, I wanted to. I just wasn't good at words like her. Besides, it was fun! It felt all ... you know, secret agent-like." At her other question a touch of a blush came to his face and he looked away suddenly, fascinated with poking the handle of the paint brush where it rose from the paint bowl. "Well, uh.... it turned out that my feathers came off some and Em 'n Corvus - do you know them? They sorta run the place - well they found them and they knew they were mine." He stuck out his tongue sheepishly and glanced over a shoulder, rustling his wings that shed a few feathers on cue. Growing up never got rid of the unfortunate feather shedding trait. Ruya Ruya laughed when Tosten shed his feathers as an illustration. She reached out and picked one up off the floor, twirling it between her fingers. "Thats great. I bet Sunil was mad she didn't notice you had shed them everywhere. Do you mind if I keep one or two?" On an impulse Ruya picked up a pair to the one already in her hand hoping Tosten would let her keep it. Tosten "Keep as many as you like." Tosten encouraged promptly. "I kind of forget to clean them up too, I'm sure whoever cleans the shop is really tired of sweeping them." He folded his wings back close along his back as though hoping that'd just keep the feathers in their place where they belonged, plopping his hands before him once more. "Ah, was she? I don't even remember... she didn't seem so angry when it was over." He tipped back his head, staring up as though that'd help him think. It was fuzzy, he remembered her mad and thinking one of them squealed, but once she learned they didn't was she still mad? He couldn't remember at all. Ruya "Thanks!" Ruya tucked two of the feathers behind her ear and resolved to make something nice with them. "Anything else you remember about Sunil?" Tosten Tosten tilted his head slightly and wondered it over a few moments. The most clear memories were those he didn't want to share... her lying to him, her fighting with Seamus. Beyond that their time together had never been very eventful and story-telling worthy as much as he could recall. "She was a fun friend, I remember that." He smiled, pleased with his memories however simple they were. "Strong and smart, I always felt kind of disappointed that I couldn't be a better friend for her. I think... she was really lonely when she was younger." He admitted slowly, softly. He never told anyone this before, Ruya seemed like the perfect one to tell it to since she lived with the feien. It was too late for his relationship with Sunil, perhaps he could at least let other people know that Sunil had at least been a child once too even if her personality now never implies it. Ruya "Lonely?" Ruya thought that over. "Yeah I can see that. The only person she really has is Susu, her cat. But it is her fault she is so mean to people." Ruya shrugged, she had heard enough about Sunil as a kid. It sounded like she was a lot like she was now. "Ok, I think we're done with Sunil. I don't want to start feeling bad for her. Back to painting?" Ruya didn't want to have to leave Tosten's comapny yet. He made her feel nice, the way he was so cheerful. Tosten "Uh... eh?" Tosten was caught off guard by that and stared at Ruya dumbly. But.. but he wanted to... and then she... and... hey! He twitched an ear dumbly and slowly scratched the back of his neck, trying to comprehend the subject change. "But, uh... she isn't... I mean, she doesn't..." Mismatched eyes flickered to the side and he glanced down, resigned. Why in the world should he argue for Sunil? If Ruya preferred her view then he'd keep his opinions to himself. So he cleared his throat and lifted his voice, brightening it expertly. "Mm! Painting! Have you ever tried paints yet? I love them~, they're so colorful and colorful things are happy to look at!" Ruya Ruya laughed and reached over to hug Tosten. "I haven't tried paints at all. I doubt I'm very good. Have you been painting for a long time?" Tosten Tosten was mildly surprised when hugged, as just earlier Ruya had seemed so nervous. So she was a warming up type, huh? Well good! He was more then happy to sling an arm around her, as nothing was better then affectionate company. "Uh-huh! Ever since I was little I've been painting. It's fun to do - ah, do you wanna paint too?" He looked about them, across the quiet shop. "I know there's paper here, I can get you some and you can paint too! I can teach you, even." Ruya "Sure, " Ruya chirped. "I'd love to learn how to paint. I need a creative outlet. And it would be great to learn from you Tosten. You make me feel good, like my mom. Only different since she is very calm and you're more happy!" Tosten Tosten wasn't sure he understood that but if she felt good then yay! He smiled and released her, squirming away and hopping to his feet. "I'll find some then!" And with that he fluttered away for only a moment, long enough to scrounge through the shop and its shelves for any stray bits of the feien paper. When he had found his goal he was returned then, swooping onto the sill and offering her the pages. Ruya Ruya stood to accept the pages, but just sort of stood there after she got them. "What do I do with them now? Should I sketch something first?" She blinked up at Tosten, totally unsure of where to go next. Tosten Tosten plopped down and tilted his head thoughtfully. "Mm, its easier if you draw it but sometimes its okay if you don't either. I think art is funny like that... even if it looks really dumb it can be perfect, I dunno how to make that make sense though." Anyway! He looked about then, with an idea, rustled his wings once more until he found a loose feather of proper size. It was plucked and offered to Ruya. "If you dip it in the paint, you can draw with this first then paint it." He had noticed the quills sold by the shop and the obvious fact that one kind was his own shed feathers... so this way was much easier then just going over and taking one from the display. Ruya "Ok." Ruya nodded her head took the feather. She thought for a moment before dipping it into the red Tosten had been using earlier. "How about a rose?" It wasn't much of a question since Ruya began scratching away at the paper with the feather. Her lines were slightly wobbly, but it eventually started to resemble the many petals of an open rose. Tosten Tosten observed in curiosity. He wasn't much a teacher and he'd never argue that, as to him anything that anyone tried hard to do was a beautiful work of art. But then again he had been a kid who smeared paint about and considered it perfect. "... You know, you might be better at drawing then painting." He suggested after a moment, tilting his head as he watched her details. "Ah! You know what? Your brother Merrimack likes to draw too!" Ruya Ruya stopped and looked at her drawing critically. It was pretty good for a first try is she did say so herself. "He does? I never knew that. Maybe I should visit and talk to him about it." She dipped the feather into the green now and started to outline a stem and thorns, her tongue sticking out just a little as she tried to make it just so. "Thanks Tosten. This is pretty fun."
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:27 pm
About Ruya Sometimes I worry about Ruya. She seems much more happy lately and I think she has found a couple new friends. (I caught her talking to Rishi about a Neruo and a Tosten.) But then she goes and does something like yesterday.
She came to me and asked me about some beads for a present for her brother. I went to dig up some seed beads since I always have some laying around for jewelry making and found an unopened assorted bag she could have. She seemed pleased to get it, but when I check on her 2 hours after I gave it to her, she was sitting in the middle of my bed surrounded by little pools of unicolor beads. She apprently felt they needed to be sorted by color before she could use them. And some she rejected because they deviated from the norm by too much. I found her some bags to put all the different colors in and tried to act like nothing was amiss, but to be honest that really freaked me out.
By the time she was all done with the gift it was pretty late, so I told her she should wait until tomorrow before going to visit Ares and Merrimack. I didn't want to have to worry about her out alone in the dark. Its not like I could have her take a cell and call me when she got there!~ Kam
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:28 pm
In Which Sunil Poisons Someone Else (** Moved From Guild **) Silva The sun was setting, the trees from the back of the yard casting a dark shadow over the small hill that was his hunting ground. Ice was sitting on the porch, her feet propped on another chair, a book in her hand. Io had taken over the computer in Ice's room again. Thankfully. Silva still got pissed when he saw her. It didn't help that she kept laughing whenever she caught sight of him. He muttered something under his breath, forcing the memory of Ice's "daughter" to the back of his mind and concentrating on the expanse of grass in front of him. It was barely taller than he was, but it was enough. It had to be. Damn suburban neighborhoods. He held a small silver braclet like a chain in his hands. It wasn't the best weapon, but it would do for now. With a smirk he started heading into the grass, trying to keep to the shadows. He would catch something interesting this time, he told himself. Maybe one of those glowing bugs. It would be harder when he didn't fly, but heck, Silva liked it when things were difficult. He crept through the grass, fingering his chain with a little smirk. You could do all sorts of things with a chain, after all, he thought, wrapping one end around his fist, then flicking it out to decapitate a nearby piece of grass. "Silva? Are you done yet?" The voice made him jerk, scowling at where Ice had called from. "It's getting dark." He rolled his eyes, ignoring her and heading towards the far end of the yard, near the fence where all the mushrooms and other things grew. There'd be more chances to find SOMETHING there, as far away from her big mouth as possible. Sunil Sunil peered down at the yard from her perch on the fence. She couldn't really see all that well in the fading light, but she was pretty sure she saw motion. She looked around with her magic and was disgusted to find it was a feien. An unknown one at that. She had been hoping for a small defenseless animal - she was in the mood to beat the living daylights out of something. After stretching, Sunil leaped off the fence and divebombed the unknwon feien, aiming to land right behind him. Silva Silva turned, his chain held taughtly between his hands, a smirk of anticipation brought on by the sound of wings. Finally something to ki-- He stopped, scowling at the sight of the other feien, the scowl turning to shock, the shock turning to a leering grin as he noticed just what a fine looking feien it was. "Hell, Darlin, if you wanted to come over you coulda just knocked. We've got a door, you know." He said, completely ignoring the fact that she topped him by a good two inches. Sunil Sunil raised one eyebrow and put her hands on her hips before replying. "I didn't come here to visit you. I don't even know you. I came here to find something to beat the crap out of - and you're not doing a very good job of convincing me you're not a perfect candidate." She didn't like that he seemed to wield a similar weapon to hers, and she especially didn't like that he seemed to have the same element as Quantel. It brought up emotions that had no place in this situation. Silva "Beat the crap out of, huh?" He asked musingly. "In my own backyard..." He looked her over, admiring the muscle structure, and the arrogant way she held herself. "Hell, you just might be able to." He chewed on his "toothpick" not looking too afraid. "Now... to convince you not to..." He looked thoughtful for a while, pulling his toothpick out and raising an eyebrow. "You can jump in with a suggestion any time now, darlin. The dirtier it is the happier I'll be." Sunil "Dirtier?" Sunil looked confused for a second, before snorting and bursting into laughter. "Are you... Are you hitting on me? I'm like twice your size, " she exaggerated before muttering something about damn juveniles. "Who the hell are you anyway?" It was a little intriguing he hadn't offered his name yet. Silva "I've always had a thing for large women, darlin." He said, a grin tugging on his lips. Making her laugh was a step closer to getting her in his opinion. "And I'm the feien whose backyard you're standing in. In some places they would call this trespassing. But I'm feeling generous." He pulled the chain over his shoulders, draping it like a necklace. "So, darlin, what brings you to my humble abode?" Sunil Sunil smirked. This little juvenile was arrogant. She wondered idly if he could back it up, and unwound the whip she had coiled over her shoulder. "You can only truly own what you can defend. Could you really stop me if I wanted this backyard as my own?" All this talk was starting to piss her off. Sunil wasnt good with these word games. She would much rather have her muscles do the talking. "I came to see you obviously. I heard of an incredibly attractive and intelligent new feien and I just had to see you for myself." She stepped closer and leaned in. "Now tell me your damn name before I beat it out of you like I did Calico." Silva He pulled his chain off his shoulders, smirking slightly. "Incredibly attractive, huh? I like that. But I can't tell you my name, Darlin. If I do then how else am I going to make you think about me after you've left?" Sunil Sunil shot out a hand and grabbed Silva by the neck. "Look squirt, I don't like games. See this?" She held up her whip so he could see it. "Its a whip. I know you're familiar with the concept because you have one. But mine is poisoned. I would suggest unless you want to rot from the inside you tell me your name. I'll even tell you mine, so you know who to fear in the future." Sunil wasn't sure the poison really would have such a strong effect, but she had found fear was just as powerful as pain in making things happen. Silva He gulped, feeling the air almost stop where her hand was. She was fast... faster than he was. And he could respect that. As well as the poison thing. He smirked, though the hint of pain in his eyes was hard to hide. "I think..." He tried to breathe, but nothing happened. "I'm in love." He finished, then kicked out, aiming for her gut. Sunil "Ooof!" Sunil bent over and grimaced, but did not loosen her hold. Instead she flipped the hand holding the whip and started working her way to the end and the bee stinger attached there. "You must be a glutton for punishment squirt." Silva He couldn't breathe, and that kick had taken what little breath he had had left. He watched, almost fatalistically as she groped for the end of her whip. Then damned himself for being so weak. "Al... right. Dammit." He gasped out, letting his body go limp. "Let me go and I'll... *gasp* tell you." Sunil Sunil snorted. "I'm not stupid. You tell me now and then I'll let you go." She kept groping for the end of the whip, wishing right now that she hadn't made it so damn long. Silva "Can't... breathe." He hissed, his hands tugging at her wrist. He was as strong as she was, he told himself, wrenching at the wrist and hoping to catch her off guard. Sunil Sunil's arm was starting to get tired, and his clawing at her didn't help. "If you can say that you can say your damn name." She had to respect his tenacity however, so when she reached the end of her whip, she lifted it up to scrape his cheek with the bee stinger and then released him completely. Silva He stood slowly, touching the scratch on his cheek and watching her. He could feel a little of the poison working its way into his veins, but he still felt like smirking. "My name, Darlin... is one that I'm going to become strong enough for you to remember." He told her, taking a slight step back. He needed to get to the shadows... before he fainted. "It's Silva." He didn't tell her because she had beaten him. He told her because he wanted her to know. He took another step back, melting into the shadows without a trace. Sunil Sunil frowned and yelled into the darkness. "If you need a cure, come find me. I don't know what poison does untreated to a feien." And with that tidbit, Sunil lifted herself off the ground and headed for home. She had a lot to mull over. Silva Silva stumbled through the grass, tripping over a few twigs here and there until he got to the hose that Ice had left on the small tree. He fell to his stomach, stcking his head in the slowly flowing water, then taking gulp after gulp to try to purify himself. After that he scooped a little of the mud up, putting it on the scrape. He rolled over, staring at the sky as he waited for what little poison that had gotten into his blood to run its course. Idly he wondered if he would have a scar from this encounter... Her mark, so to say. He cursed, then shoved the thought to the back of his mind. He had been joking about the "love" part... his caustic nature kicking in at the worst time. But still... there was something about her that intrigued him. He was passed out when Ice finally found him, her flashlight beam falling on his face. He cracked open an eye, then groaned, covering his face with his forearm and looking away as she picked him up and headed for the house. "Man, Silva, how'd you get so muddy?" He didn't reply, looking over to the house behind theirs even as they entered their own.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:29 pm
Curiouser, and curiouser... I met another new annoying juvenile today. He may or may not have potential. I am unsure as of yet.
In fact he confused me in more than one way. He tried to hit on me. It was laughable and yet I couldn't completely write him off. He has a lot of guts.
And on some level he reminded me of Quantel. It was probably just his element, but I now I have his name and his magical signature.
Silva. I'll find him again.~ Sunil
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:30 pm
In Which Calico Brags About His Conquests Sunil Sunil laid on the windowsill, enjoying the occasional breeze drifting in from the outside. She had a lot on her mind and the wind helped to take some of that away. It couldn't take away the thing on the top of her mind though and she sighed. "Quantel, " Sunil said to herself quietly, "Where are you?" Calico The sun had shifted out of the grove where Calico had picked up the habit of practicing his magic. When it became this hour, his favorite sunning spot changed places and because of that he was on the move for his second choice location... ... but dammit, she was there again! Calico wasn't even near and he saw the blot of blue sprawling on teh sill that he so enjoyed. He paused where he was momentarily, contemplating the roof instead but dismissed the choice. The roof was only good at sunset, during full daylight it was still too hot. So despite his annoyance he drifted down to the sill, the droning insect wings warning long before he touched down lightly at the most opposite end. Sunil Sunil sat up and glared in Calico's direction. She was feeling low and she didn't really need him around pissing her off more. "Back to sun are we? Do you even do anything all day other than lay out?" Calico Calico dismissed her first for sake of settling down. "I was practic'n." He countered off-handedly as he just keeled right over, at the moment not in the mood to fight. She wasn't a fun target, not as he was right now, and because of that he felt less of a drive to randomly strike her as he did the other feien. "What the 'ell do yah do?" He leaned his head back and glared back at her skeptically, upsidedown as he just settled flat on his back at the moment. If he didn't have to move then he was just going to suck up that sun into that dark skin. Sunil "What I do is none of your concern. I, however, have a right to inquire about you since in return for my knowledge you agreed to do certain things. Have you done anything to any of the other juveniles to justify my investment in you?" Sunil settled with her back against the windowsill to face him. Calico "Agree'd she says, is that whut it ******** was..." Calico grumbled to himself, wondering if this was worth his time. Probably, if she up and quit now then he wasn't going to figure out this mystical bullshit known as magic. "... A'rite. I'll play." He sighed exasperatedly and propped himself on his elbows so to c**k his head back and see her more straight. His vision was still slanted and now his dreadlocks poured over his right eye but at least better then upsidedown. "Do yah know Shalafi?" Sunil "No, I don't. Is this Shalafi a friend of yours?" Sunil supressed her impatience. Why couldn't he just come out and tell her what he did? Calico Calico wrinkled his nose at the term and rolled his eyes, letting them close and him flop backwards again as though he found this suddenly twice as much a chore. "Ain't my friend - he's jus' mine. I like 'im, he's got pretty skin when it bruises, 'n screams nice... 'n its funny when he cries. Yah should of seen 'im fall'n apart when I cut up that li'l s**t Nero." Side-tracked he chuckled to himself and squirmed, giving a pleasured stretch of his arms over his head at the memories. Sunil "Nero?" Sunil was pleased, very pleased. She didn't give a crap about this Shalafi, but Nero - that was promising. "To be clear, we're talking about Nero, Arturo's son? Has wings on his head? I'd like to hear what you did to him in detail if possible." Calico Calico twitched an eyebrow faintly and contemplated what she said. Arturo... he remembered that. The adult that was watching Nero in the shop, the kids Father - whatever the hell that was. "....?" A bright eye slid open and glanced to her sidelong. She was interested? How curious. He was more then eager to brag. "It's Shalafi's fault. I told 'im tah keep secret what I did, but he told Nero... so I had tah punish 'im, so I play'd wit' Nero. Tied the li'l s**t up with all that ******** hair 'n carved him good with that ... thing he got." A hand rose and made a few flippant gestures as the word 'sword' escaped him. "I mark'd 'im," Calico preened. "Wrote it right on 'is back... just a letter, I'm gonna finish the rest later. One letter a time, more fun then." Sunil Sunil chuckled and clapped slowly for Calico. "Excellent." Sunil drew the word out, savoring the mental picture she had. "Have you met the other son? Merrimack?" Sunil had serious doubt about Calico's long term goals. Eventually he would be up against Arturo and he was no match for the older feien. But in the short term, Calico sounded like he was doing exactly the sort of thing Sunil had hoped for. Calico Calico half opened both eyes now and glared above him into the sky and its growing evening colors. Annoying feien, Merrimack... his stubbornness gave him a headache. "I know 'im." He replied flatly. "Li'l ******** owes me 'n apology, damn well wun't say it. I play'd with 'im the otha' night. I jus' want'd 'im tah take a message 'n he had tah make it so hard... I wasn't plann'n tah hit 'im so much. Bugger." Sunil "So much?" Sunil sat up and suddenly looked concerned. "You didn't kill him did you? You're walking a thin line, Calico. If you go too far Arturo will step in and you can't face him yet." Calico Calico glanced at her when she mentioned this, a scowl touching his lips before he turned his head away entirely, staring across the sill toward the other end as he tried to remember. He remembered Merrimack in that dark root, him waiting for the feien to crack, then sounds, movements... "He 'it me... I told 'im tah 'pologize 'n he 'it meh." He recalled slowly. "Then.. I woke up." Wait, no, that was a big gap. Merrimack hit him, then it was black, and all he recalled next was waking up at home the next morning. It was vague but he pulled what he hoped were facts from the dark. "I didn't kill 'im. I jus'... hit 'im 'n told 'im tah go give Shalafi a message... he left... he didn't die." Huh. Why was that so hard to remember? Sunil Sunil relaxed a little even though Calico didn't seem so sure of the sequence of events. If Merrimack was dead, Calico would most likely not be here having this conversation. "Are you sure? I'm just looking out for you. Why did he owe you an apology anyway?" Calico Calico grew gradually confident, glancing back over the more he grasped hold of that night. The rage he had gone into left the images fuzzy but he knew well enough he wasn't going to kill that brat without getting that apology beforehand. "He's got a noisy mouth, call'n me names 'n s**t when I met 'im." He replied in annoyance. It wasn't a big deal to him until Merrimack himself made such a big deal of refusing to say it. "... tch, I ain't try'n tah get that guys attention - Arturo, whatevah... that Merrimack, he does such stupid s**t... makes me mad." Sunil "I know you don't want to get Arturo's attention. You obviously like your victims weak. You just need to realize his relationship to Merrimack and Nero is very close." Sunil closed her eyes and relaxed back to her earlier state. "All in all I am extremely pleased with you Calico. Do tell me more about this Shalafi though, I've never encountered him." Calico Calico was more pleased with talking about that then what pleased her. As a lazy smile crawled across his lips and he studied Sunil as he thought over the feien in question. "He's a crippl'd li'l brat.. so damn white, 'n smarter then the others. They jus' open their mouths and say stupid s**t but he's good, does what I tell 'im too." There was a purr to his words, near as real as those issued be felines deep in the chest and throat. "He's mine, my li'l pet, I jus' hafta remind 'im of it a few times till it sticks." Sunil "And what do you plan to do with your little pet?" This was interesting and a possible exploit. Calico sounded like he had a weakness for this Shalafi. Calico Calico tipped his head a little and pondered it over. "Whatevah I want." Was what he crooned in the end as though he had been thinking of nothing at all. "I like 'is scream, 'n make all that white bleed red... 'n bruise 'm black till those funny blind eyes start cry'n." He licked his lips and ended all his purred words with a casual yawn as though surely they were discussing tomorrow's weather and not another living creature. Sunil Sunil nodded. She didn't have the exact same tastes as Calico, but having a pet sounded fun. The closest she had was Calico and he was sorta like a rabid dog. "Sounds fun. Would you like another target? Or are you full up on victims for now?" Calico Calico twitched an ear and sent her a lazy though curious glance. That hadn't been something he expected to hear... "What'cha got in mind?" Sunil Sunil stretched her arms abover her head and then stood. She faced outside the window and lowered her voice. "I live with another feien. Ruya. She is Merrimack and Nero's dear sister. I could lure her somewhere if you wanted someone new to play with. You could have some real fun with the siblings I think. They're all so concerned about eachother." Calico "A girl...?" Calico seemed skeptical now. There were MORE kids to that happy little family of misfits? Holy hell. Why? He watched her sidelong as he thought it over then rose a shoulder in a casual shrug. "... A'rite. Why the 'ell not." Besides, if she lived with Sunil it'd be easier to have more fun. The only person this Ruya brat would have to go home to would be the very feien that sent her into the trap. Sounded like a game perfect for him to play. Sunil "You sound reluctant. You don't like girls? I assure she is nothing like me." Sunil faced Calico and looked at him through narrowed eyes. He was discriminating in his choice of victims? Calico Calico rose an eyebrow at her expression and tipped up his chin defiantly... a pointless action seeing as he refused to get up off the sill that he was sprawling so languidly upon. "How would I know, I ain't play'd wit' a girl yet. So many damn boys 'round." He had met Tahki and she had been tempting but he hadn't gone for it that time, she was amusing to listen to guilt-trip herself. Sunil "Ok, then we're agreed. I'll try and think of a good situation for you to get ahold of Ruya. She doesn't really trust me, so this may take work. And I also may have a playmate for you to practice your skills with. We'll have to see." Sunil stretched again and turned back to face out the window. She was ready to go. Things to do, plots to plan. Calico Skills.. that reminded him. Calico cocked his head backwards and looked off toward the posters on the walls. That had been where Sunil had read about that stupid stuff when asking about his magic. He made an absent note of that. "Yah yah." Aware of he preparing to leave he made a dismissve wave of his hand, tucking his arms beneath his head, intending to continue sunning after her absence. All this talk made him want to go play with Shalafi, where was the little bugger? He'd have to find him later. Sunil "Have an excellent day Calico. I'll find you later." Sunil leaped off the sill and floated off towards home.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:32 pm
In Which Ruya Meets Silva and Sunil Makes a Proposal (** Moved From Guild **) Sunil Sunil took back up her perch on the fence again and gazed out over the yard. She didn't see anything so she sighed and sat down, tapping her chin with one finger. She had a lot to think about. So many things to bring together. This was a good place to think, maybe she would claim this fence as her own while the weather was nice. Silva She was watching HIS yard. He scowled, staring out the window for a second. It was too damn bright outside for his taste... but she was lording over HIS yard like a queen at court. He stepped back into the curtains and jumped off the ledge into Ice's room, heading for the door. He couldn't beat her... but that didn't mean he couldn't try. A few minutes later Silva stood in the doorway to the backyard, his arms crossed over his chest, his chain doubled and hanging loosely around his hips. He was debating walking across the yard to go talk to her. "Dammit... why'd Ice have to pick a house next to another feien, anyways?" He finally muttered, jumping down the stairs and slowly making his way across the yard. Sunil and Ruya Sunil felt him coming and smiled to herself. She stretched, and turned to face her own yard. Her posture said he was beneath her notice. "Sunil?" Another voice cut across the yard and a juvenile feien with dual tone hair flapped out of the house. "Sunil? Are you out here?" Sunil whipped her head around as Ruya set down on the fence and faced her. "You left a note in my room?" "I'm busy, I don't have time to deal with you right now." "Ooo-kay... busy doing what?" Sunil ground her teeth in frustration and turned away from her, hoping Ruya would take a hint. "Hey, is that another feien? Hello!" Ruya waved and smiled in Silva's general direction, while Sunil sighed and steeled herself for an interesting encounter. Silva Silva's right eye twitched when she turned her back on him. Damn her... He scowled at her back for a while before turning to the other feien. "What is this, an infestation?" He muttered, chewing on his toothpick and looking the newcomer over. She was cute... colorful, at least. A smirk pulled at his lips as he had a thought. More than one person could play that game. "Hello, little Darlin." He called up to Ruya. "You new?" Sunil and Ruya "New? Not really, I'm just not an adult yet. Are you new?" Ruya fluttered down to by Silva and looked at the chain wrapped around his hips with a little bit of worry. "I'm Ruya!" She stuck out her hand to shake his. Above on the fence, Sunil watched the scene with a growing sense of unease. She didn't want them talking. She wanted Ruya being tortured by Calico and Silva talking to her, coming under her sphere of influence. She groaned and resigned herself to waiting Ruya out. Silva He could literally FEEL her anger, he thought, smirking slightly before taking the offered hand. With an easy motion he pulled the hand to his mouth, brushing a kiss over her knuckles. "Charmed, Darlin, I'm sure." She would be easy, he thought, slowly letting her hand go. Nowhere near as interesting as the blue one, but that wasn't the point. The blue one needed punished for doing what she had done to him. Sunil and Ruya Ruya giggled a little before pulling back her hand. "You remind me of someone I once knew a little bit. Very sure of yourself. I assume you live here?" She gestured to the house behind him. "I had no idea we had another feien living so near to us." Ruya could tell Sunil was pouting up on her perch, so she smiled and politely made a retreat. "Well, I can tell Sunil would like to speak with you alone, so I'll go back inside. But I'll have to come visit sometime, so we can chat some." Ruya fluttered up, over the fence, and back inside with a wave. Sunil glowered at her until she was inside before deigning to speak to Silva from her height. "I suggest you don't get too attached, Silva." Her warning said, Sunil swooped down and landed by Silva. "You feeling alright, " she asked with a sneer. Silva "I'm fine. No thanks to you. She yours?" He asked, nodding to the house where Ruya had retreated. "She's cute." He smirked, trying not to laugh at the "attached" comment. That's exactly what he wanted her thinking. "So... Sunil. There a reason you're in my yard again? Come to finish me off?" Sunil "No. As far as I know Ruya doesn't belong to anyone, " Sunil snorted, " She just isn't going to be doing well in a couple days if my plans pan out. Sunil sighed and fingered her whip. Finishing him off was a tempting suggestion, but it didn't fit in her current scheme. "Of course not, dear Silva, " she turned away hiding her expression, "I have a proposal for you." Silva He snorted, raising an eyebrow. "Marriage already? When I haven't even gotten a snog? Sorry, darlin, but I'm gonna haveta decline." He smirked, turning slightly to leave. Sunil Sunil turned around to face him, glaring. "Not that kind of proposal you twit!" Sunil took a deep breath. "You want to get stronger, yes? And I am stronger. I am willing to teach you feien magic in return for a favor from you. I want you to be a sparring partner for another juvenile I am assisting. I believe you would both benefit from the arrangement." Silva "... Sparring?" He repeated, tasting the word and finding it lacking. "I don't... spar... darlin. I hunt. And I'm not particularly fond of dealing with other feien. They're either ditzy, annoying, or poisonous." He scowled, her promise to make him stronger chipping at his resolve. "But I might be willing to... negotiate." Sunil Sunil grimaced. Calico probably fell under poisonous and annoying. "What are your terms?" She figured she could at least hear him out. Silva "Let me think it over for a bit, Darlin. Even I'm not stupid enough to jump into this blindly. And just for the record. I haven't agreed to anything. Hell, I might just decide to settle down, get myself a nice little girlfriend... that one girl, maybe." He stopped, smirking slightly, then thinking of something. "And I want to know the name of this... sparring partner you have lined up for me, Darlin." Sunil Sunil smiled slightly. "I told you to leave Ruya alone. I have plans for her. And as for this partner, he doesn't give out his name lightly. Much like you. I might be able to set up a meeting if you wanted to meet him before deciding." Silva He scowled, knowing when it was time to retreat. "Maybe later, Darlin. I need some time to... think." He took a step back, smirking at the sight of the shadows, then disappeared. Sunil Sunil scowled. That shadows trick was starting to annoy her. She could still see him of course, but only magically. She decided not to reveal that particular tidbit and retreated herself. After all she still had to speak to sweet Ruya.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:33 pm
Sunil Thinks She is So Smart Ruya was sitting in her room talking to Rishi when Sunil got back into the house from talking to Silva. "And he lives right next door, imagine that!" She sounded so happy and carefree, it pissed Sunil off and she stomped her way into the room instead of flying. Ruya turned at the sound with an annoyed expression on her face. "What is your problem Sunil? Did I interrupt you and your boyfriend or something?" "No, you did not. I do not care whether you speak to Silva or not, but I would warn you he is trouble. I have other matters to discuss with you." Ruya turned back to pat Rishi and stood up before turning to face Sunil. "That's rich, you warning me about someone else. Anyway, spit it out - what did you want to talk to me about? You never want to talk to me." Ruya narrowed her eyes and Rishi growled low in his throat. As far as he was concerned, Sunil needed to conclude her business and get the hell out. "I wanted to tell you I heard that your brother Merri has been badly hurt and is unable to return home." Sunil was getting better and better at lying, and she could only hope Ruya was too shocked by the news to ask too many questions. For Ruya, time stopped and she could barely get herself back together enough to ask the important questions. "He was hurt? How do you know this? Where is he?" Ruya's eyes were wide and she knelt to hug Rishi to her as she waited for Sunil to respond. "I overheard some gossip in the store, " Sunil waved her hand as if it was no big deal, "and I took it upon myself to investigate his disappearance. It appears a juvenile that has been causing a great deal of trouble kidnapped your brother and has him stashed in a particular location. I haven't yet found out where, but when I find out you'll be the first to know." Something about this was fishy. Sunil never cared about Ruya or her family. What sort of game was she playing? And how dare she use Merri being hurt in her stupid schemes? Ruya decided to play along for long enough to figure out what was really going on here. "Thanks Sunil. If you find out where he is you have to tell me!" Ruya's eyes teared up as she strove for an element of realism in her performance. Poor Merri - whether he was actually hurt or not, Ruya would make Sunil pay for this. "I might even know tonight. I'll be in touch. Don't go anywhere yourself though, wouldn't want you to get snatched." Sunil smiled and flew out of the room, leaving Ruya to plot and worry.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:34 pm
More Plotting! Sunil Sunil swooped her way to the shop. It was already getting dark, but she hoped Calico would still be in his sunning spot. She was counting on his laziness to allow her to meet back up with him. Calico Now that was just silly, letting hope depend on if someone was lazy or not? - Wait, this was Calico, and in fact there he was! It wasn't luck so much as just scheduled habit. When the sun began to dip, he took his business to the shop roof where the sunset best satisfied his warming needs. He sprawled upon his back, one arm tucked beneath his head covered in the confetti array of dual colored dreadlocks splayed about from the pillowing. His eyes never opened even when she came near the shop, but one long and dark ear was twitching slightly like an animal aware something was approaching. Sunil Sunil was dismayed as she got close enough to see that Calico was not on the windowsill. A quick magical check confirmed he was in the vicinity however, and she flew up to the roof where he was lazing about. Sunil landed on the roof, and placed her hands on her hips. She was pleased she had been able to find Calico, but she scowled anyway. It was more habit than anything else. "Hey, Calico. I have things set up for you to get the drop on Ruya. I just have to give her a location. Where would you like me to send her?" The words were clipped and Sunil didn't bother to sit down. If she was gone too long Ruya might get suspicious. Calico Calico half opened his eyes as the adult was speaking, staring up at her in a drugged sort of air. One eyebrow twitched a little higher as though he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about... "Un, the girl..." He mumbled to himself, so slurred and beneath his breath that it really was just an incoherent 'nn, mhn' kind of noise. He propped himself up and stared beyond her into the town, then the wilderness beyond. His speech picked up a little after that. "Right. Tell 'er ... there." He pointed lazily in the direction of the mountain he originated from, Hurog. "There's ah clear'n right off tha' road - the dirt one - that has a lake--" Well, a pond really but it was a lake in feien terms (which would make a real lake an ocean? whoops). "-- get 'er there somehow. Nobody'll 'ear her." Sunil "Ok, so clearing off the dirt road, on the mountain there?" Sunil pointed off in the general direction Calico had pointed. "You gonna be ready for her? You look half asleep to me. Ruya isn't as weak as some of the people you may be used to, be prepared." Sunil looked down at Calico with concern. He really didn't look up to ambushing anyone. Calico Calico cocked up a shoulder in a shrug while he sat up, but it turned into the action of cracking his neck instead in a few audible snaps. "Yer mak'n me work 'ard? That's not gonna be fun.. I'm awake, shuddap." Or at least he was starting to wake up, he didn't have much choice at the moment and it was time to play. He needed something to do, maybe he could even try this magic stuff. He pushed back a few stray braids to tuck behind an ear and hefted himself to his feet. "Get go'n already, I ain't wait'n long, I get bored." Sunil "Very well." Sunil took a few steps and then lifted herself off the roof and into the horizon.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:35 pm
Ruya Outwits Sunil "I know where he is, " Sunil rushed into the door of Kam's room and leaned over to catch her breath. "It took me a while, but I know where he is. You need to go to Hurog mountain, " Sunil strode to the window and pointed, "There is a dirt road and off it is a clearing with a lake. Somewhere there is where your brother is." Ruya looked out the window and confirmed the location in her own mind before turning and embracing Sunil. It took everything Ruya had not to grab her rapier first and run Sunil through. "Thank you so much Sunil. I'll go immediately to help him!" Ruya put on knee up on the windowsill to climb it and looked over as Sunil did the same. "I'll go with you. Make sure everything turns out alright." Ruya put her arms up to stop Sunil, her head bowed. "No! You need to go tell Arturo and Ares what you've told me. If Merrimack is really hurt, " Ruya began to sob, tears leaking out of her eyes, " He may need more than just one person to help. Not to mention taking care of the person who hurt him." Sunil almost snarled, and closed her fists in frustration. Ruya was right of course, if Sunil really wanted to help she would go alert the adults. Calico would just have to handle Ruya on his own. "Very well, " Sunil said quietly, turning away. "I will alert you parents. Good luck." Sunil walked out of the room, hoping Ruya woudn't insist on seeing her off, since Sunil had no intention of alerting anyone. As Sunil left, Ruya smiled at her own cleverness and snatched up her rapier from the floor. She tested the sharpness of the tip against her palm. Satisfied, she made her way over to the window. "Alright Rishi! I'm off. You watch Sunil to see what she really does. I'll check up with you when I get back."
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:38 pm
XD Calico This was going to be a waste of time, Calico decide. He was settled on a branch overlooking the clearing that now had only the lighting of the stars and a luckily bright moon to guide the way. It lit off the glassy water of the pond that tucked the clearings corner, and gave just the most faint of highlights to the speckles of dew hanging off the particularly thick leaves of the weeds scattering the grass below. She had warned him that Ruya could fight... but claimed before that the female was nothing like herself. Whats with females and being more aggressive then the guys? He wanted an easy game tonight... maybe she was more pathetic looking then Sunil was letting on. Nonetheless he issued a lazy yawn and peered at the grounds below, deciding to wait only another ten minutes before he bailed. Ruya Ruya circled the clearing, looking for a place to land. It had taken her forever to find the clearing Sunil had mentioned. The fact that it got steadily darker every minute didn't aid her search, nor the fact that she wasn't a particularly strong flier. Ruya decided to touch down near the center of the clearing, as it would give her more room to maneuver. She landed with her legs shoulder length apart and her rapier at the ready. She mustered all of her courage and boomed out, "Whoever Sunil sent here - show yourself and fight me!" Calico When movement flit the air Calico came back to his senses, where he had been drifting off into bored thought. This was her? She reminded him of Merrimack, and Sunil had said they were related so this was it... -- wait... why the hell was she holding that sword thing? "!?" This wasn't in his plans, he damn near jumped when she shouted out those words, gritting his teeth together and burying fingernails into the bark that he was upon. Originally he had been lounging yet during some point lurched into a crouch. Sunil had said this was to be a trap, that he was going to ambush her... and now that brat was here armed and aware? He could take her, he was confident of that just because she probably had no experience given the way Sunil described her. But... if she knew she was being tricked and she told her parents? That b*****d Arturo? If he was going to know about this, he wasn't going to let THAT brat pick HIM out of a line-up. She wasn't like her brothers.. she would tell, just look at her! And so the battle ready Ruya gained only the response of silence as, with a whispered furious swear, Calico flit to the higher branches and retreated back into the woods for hell. He wasn't going to fall for Sunil's trap and get himself killed, that stupid betraying b***h. Ruya Ruya turned, looking all around the clearing, but saw nothing. She cursed, wishing she had the ability to see feien with her magic and decided to take off. The longer she stayed the more likely it was that Sunil herself would show up. With a sigh she lowered her sword and took off into the air. Sunil had some questions to answer when Ruya got home.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:48 pm
Ruya winged her way home in the dark with a thousand questions buzzing in her mind. What had just happened was foremost among them. If Sunil had planned for someone or something to ambush her, why hadn't they shown? Had she been in the wrong clearing?
Ruya landed on the sill outside Kam's partially opened window and squirmed her way into the room. Once inside she was met by Rishi, who didn't say a word, but gestured subtly with his head towards the door. Ruya looked up and saw a shadow beating a retreat out in the hall. She thought about following, but decided against it. She was tired and Sunil would certainly be around in the morning.
"She didn't ever leave. Susu has been in and out of here, obviously scouting out the window the whole time you've been gone."
Rishi offered this information with a wag of the tail and finished it off by jumping up and licking Ruya's cheek.
"I'm glad you're alright."
"Me too!"
Ruya ruffled Rishi's fur and hugged her him affectionately. It was good to have someone there to greet you when you got home.
"I wonder what she was up to?"
It was sort of a rhetorical question and Rishi didn't bother to reply.
Meanwhile ...
Susu came running back into the closet with a discontented yowl. Sunil stood from where she was meditating under her bonsai tree and clenched her fists.
"s**t. How the hell did this happen?"
Sunil turned and punched the wall, rage clouding her vision. What would she do now?
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:49 pm
Too Lazy For Title Calico When one came to the Hurog mountains there was something about the skies. There was no crowded homes or street lamps glowing, so the stars were brilliant and more alive then people ever knew they looked. The keep itself was dark and dreary, it had a habit of looking like that with its dark crumbling stone walls and a creakity old gate whose towering doors were propped wide open. They were probably rusted like that, given their old seeming state. The keep itself stood dark against the shadows, if such a thing was possible. The windows, most closed except for one on the second floor, had the dim glow of lighting inside them. It made them seeming to stare, intent and unblinking with those square-shaped yellow eyes like a massive predator waiting... The front doors, towering in terms of feien, were dual wooden doors with heavy knockers installed (as silly as knockers on a keep would appear). They were shut tightly and successfully muffled all sounds from inside despite the general chaos that went on in there. Sunil Sunil was pissed. Ruya had come home. And what was worse she was unhurt. What the ******** had Calico been thinking? This scheme had cost Sunil a lot of effort and he had not held up his end of the bargain. She didn't know where the little bugger lived, but she had a hunch it was near the location he had set up the ambush for Ruya. So Sunil had flown out there under cover of dark and found a large keep. She had no idea if Calico lived there, but it was worth a shot. So she flew through the front gates and up to the massive front door. It took her a moment to decide between the knockers and the opportunity presented by the open window but in the end she grabbed a knocker and used all her strength to pull it out and let it go several times. Calico There was a few moments of silence in which the banging of the knocker seemed to echo so loudly in the silence. Then the heavy creak and heaves as one of the two doors was crept open, greeting her with a listless sounding voice... "Yes yes, you know its very late." Complained the soft tones. As the door opened fully the one who answered paused blankly, staring at the little flitting creature before him. He was a young man of pale skin and dark bruised eyes as though suffering a heavy case of insomnia. His purple-blue eyes looked moderately surprised by her appearance, but far from amazed. He knew feien well enough now. "Can I help you?" Sunil Sunil put her hands on her hips, and cocked her head to the side. "Yes. Is there a Calico in residence here? I need to speak with him." Calico Oreg rose an eyebrow skeptically at this request. Someone coming here asking for Calico? He brought up a hand and itched sleep mussed hair of the darkest black quality. Then he half turned and pointed to the rising stone stair case in the entrance hall beyond him. "He is. If you can see yourself there its just up the stairs and first open door on the left hall." He glanced sidelong back toward her. "If you're here to fight him do it outside please. I'm tired of cleaning messes from him." Sunil Sunil snorted. "I wouldn't fight him. I would kill him. And I'm not yet sure if that will be necessary. I won't make a mess if I do." And with her piece said, she zoomed past the tired looking man and up the stairs in search of the first open door. Calico "... as long as there's no mess." Oreg muttered to himself, shrugging lazily as though it didn't concern him. And it didn't, he only closed the door, yawned and wandered off. The room Sunil had been given directions to was what appeared to be a large Master bedroom. There was the variety of things one expected of a bedroom ... a bed, windows (the center one wide open) and general entertainment supplies. What seemed most odd was just how many desks crowded the rooms loose space. One by the door with a laptop and general working supplies... The center desk opposite the room was an utter mess of papers, paints, and doll house sized furniture. The corner desk was taken up by a large tank terrarium, like a whole miniature jungle was stuffed into the large glass container. It was by the terrarium desk that there was the only movement in the room... as there perched Calico himself among a supply of weights created of q-tips, washers and fishingline sinkers. And he seemed lazy as usual, peering at the television show with a disinterested expression and munching on what seemed to be cut up bits of cold chicken. Sunil Sunil floated to a stop in the doorway to the bedroom and smirked. Bingo! "Ah... my dear Calico. I have businees to discuss with you worm." Sunil made her way into the room and in Calico's direction. She tried to be as non-threatening as she could be, so that Calico didn't bolt out the open window. Calico A long ear twitched and Calico's boring meal came to an end. Orange eyes shot to the side and picked her out from the room immediately, which brought a curling snarl to the corner of his lip like a cornered beast debating if it was okay to fight. "Why the ******** are yah 'ere?!" He accused fiercely, gathering himself beneath him. He wasn't going to pretend that he wouldn't run if this came to a fight. He'd rather live then die a prideful idiot and he was tensed enough already, glaring in absolute distrust and still clutching a piece of chicken though he wasn't really aware of that. Sunil Sunil stopped short of the desk and sneered. She wasn't as fast as Calico, but he was young. She could hunt him down if he ran, no matter how long it took her. Especially since she knew where he lived. "Ruya came home last night. Unharmed. That isn't what we discussed. I'm pissed and I want an explaination. NOW!" Sunil's voice rose with every word, but when she was finished she took a deep breath and continued calmly. "You also don't look harmed Calico so I have to wonder if you even showed." Calico As she yelled the younger feien was only becoming furious in return. Why was she accusing HIM of this s**t? Calico gnashed his teeth together and buzzed alive those wings as though they were fueled by the anger in ******** you! Damn right it wasn't whut we discuss'd! Yah said you were trick'n 'er, that it was suppos'd tah be a bloody ambush!" He countered back fiercely, not about to have her pinning this failure on him. Sure he left, but that was only because she screwed it up, in his opinion. Sunil "I did trick her. She cried all over me, sent me to alert her parents, and then took off in concern for her dear little brother. What the ******** are you talking about?" Calico Calico knit his brow together at her words and lit to the air in a sudden little bolt. It took him a touch closer, his anger always bashed his common sense into the ground. "What the ******** wrong with yah? Yah think I'll fall fer this TWICE? I know damn well yah didn't trick her." He spat the angry words at her. "That b***h came with a damn sword 'n she knew I was there, she told meh to come out - you think 'm stupid e'nuff to do that? She'd go tell that b*****d Arturo!" She'd have told him either way but without the reassurance of an ambush it was't worth the risk. If he jumped her he could have done many things from intimidate her (which he at least thought he could do) to just blindfold her. But when she was armed, ready? Absolutely not! Sunil "********! That little b***h. No wonder she avoided me all day." Sunil bit her lip and put her hands on her hips. Quietly she admitted something she would kill him if he ever told anyone. "I was wrong. Somehow she tricked me. If she talks, people may be able to trace me to you. Be on the lookout." Sunil glared around the room, her mind racing. Going home was dangerous, but so was not going home. She had already badly mangled this situation and she had no idea how to perform damage control. Calico Calico was in no situation to be bragging or taunting the fact that she was tricked by the juvenile brat. He was the one in danger too. He fisted his hands and crushed the poor bit of chicken he had been nibbling earlier. "That's yer ******** solution? Watchout? She damn well bettah NOT be able to figure me out, yah think that if'n her parents know its meh that they won't be trac'n me to Merrimack too?" God dammit! Bah. Calico flit away again and perched on the corner of his terrarium top, fuming and worrying equally. He was intelligent enough to know he wasn't ready for screwing with adults, namely Arturo. "God damn b***h..." Sunil Sunil cursed again displaying a disturbing range of creativity. "Did she see you? If she didn't see you all I have to do is lay low for a while. If she saw you we need to try again." Calico Calico seemed to calm slightly, but it was always hard to tell if his calm state was because he was regaining his sense or if he was getting worse. He shook his head, spilling dreadlocks from behind his ear into his vision. "She didn't see me, unless she got like.. night vision or whatevah. Once she yell'd I left." He confirmed, still disgruntled that it had turned out like this. A perfect example why he preferred picking on the boys more then the girls... the females were just too damn smart! Sunil Sunil gave a sigh of relief. "Alright. I'll go lay low for a while and we'll hope Ruya doesn't have any unknown abilities. I'll contact you again when I think its safe." Sunil made her way over towards the open window. Calico "I bettah not get caught..." Calico half-growled and half-grumbled to himself. Goodness knows if he'd even remember this in the morning but it annoyed him now. He noticed the chicken in his hand and popped a bit into his mouth for the hell of it... Tosten "S-...Sunil?" He had just reached the window when she was making her way towards it and was paused on the sill, wide-eyed and startled. Tosten didn't want to confront her, to see her... it was hard enough hearing the stories about her but why was she here? Calico "Mmn?" Calico swallowed the mouthful as he looked toward Tosten's arrival distastefully. Sunil Sunil raised an eyebrow at the new arrival. "Tosten? What are you doing here?" What was he doing here? He couldn't possibly be friends with Calico. And what other reason was there to be in his house? Tosten What was he doing here? Mismatched eyes stared at Sunil in surprise of her presence, hardly able to absorb that much... "I, I live here." The air feien replied quietly. He looked beyond her to the juvenile perched on the tank, observing them with a bored expression. And it clicked. Tosten couldn't help but blurt his discovery aloud. "T-that's why Ruya was sent near here... you were sending her to Calico!" It made sense after all. He knew Merrimack wasn't near here, and here Sunil was talking to Calico. She had been leaving peacefully instead of fighting, clearly they weren't enemies... o-oh dear. This was a bad discovery. Calico Calico clucked his tongue and raised his head in annoyance now, not liking Tosten knowing what he wanted to be kept secret. Sunil Sunil got a nasty look on her face and advanced slowly on Tosten. "That is a very dangerous piece of knowledge you just figured out Tosten. If anyone else figures it out, I will know where it came from and I have the perfect punishment. Tell anyone about Calico and I knowing eachother and I will rip out your tongue so you can never speak again. Do I make myself clear?" Sunil glared at Tosten and steadily advanced on him. Tosten She didn't even need to start talking to frighten Tosten as her approach alone spoke of bad news. He took a step back but, being on a sill and lacking much retreat, he ended up stilled where he was. Sunil... it was so hard to remember this was the same friend he once had, that he had played with as a child. He sat down heavily where he was, blinking frightenedly. "Y-yes..." Was all he managed to mew out pitifully. There was no use denying it, he was a coward when threatened with pain. "Please... d,don't hurt me..." Calico Calico brooded in the background during this. What the hell? That noisy b*****d cried and whined and ran away when he threatened him, but here he was crumbling beneath Sunil? Why wasn't he this scared of him? God damn bloody li'l-- and such curses were crawl through his skull. This was why Tosten was a boring toy, bah. Sunil Sunil stopped short of Tosten. "I'm not going to hurt you unless you squeal and that is the truth. Just like I promised you a long time ago." Something dawned on Sunil that she hadn't put together before. "Wait. You two live together? How the hell does that work? Why hasn't Calico killed you yet Tosten?" It wasn't meant to be mean, Sunil just couldn't believe it. Calico attacked her all the time, Tosten had to be in the same situation. Calico Calico scoffed in the background. "Eventually." Tosten Tosten closed his eyes mutely. Calico "I dun't like kill'n." Calico continued lazily, his annoyance giving way to just a dull anger that he contained well enough for now. "Yah get in twice as much trouble and have twice less fun. - 'sides, that stupid fox-s**t gets in meh way." Sunil "Your bondmate?" Sunil snorted. It made sense. Their bondmate was sure to notice if Tosten just up and went missing. Sunil landed on the sill by Tosten and gave him and Calico each one last look. "No talking Tosten, or it'll be the last talking you ever do. And I'll talk to you when some of this blows over Calico." And with that Sunil was out the window and into the night. Tosten Tosten half opened his eyes and tipped his head back, watching Sunil leave once he was sure she was a distance off. Well... she was right. At least she wasn't lying to him. But could he really keep this promise knowing it would hurt Ares and her children? Right now he didn't know. Calico "Yah are a real ******** pain in the a**, dammit." Calico muttered but decided not to make good on his anger... right now. It was late.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:52 pm
((This RP occurs pretty much simultaneously with the Sunil/Calico one.)) Ruya Talks to Tosten and Her Mom. Ruya Ruya sighed as she sat by the window in Kam's room with Rishi. She had managed to avoid speaking to Sunil all day and still hadn't decided what to say to her housemate. Sunil had seen her, she had to know her plan whatever it was hadn't worked. But she hadn't done anything. And Ruya still didn't know what was a lie and what was truth. What if Merrimack was missing? "Rishi, I have no idea what to do. What if Sunil hurt Merri? But he wasn't there. No one was there." Rishi just put his head in Ruya's lap and and looked up at her sadly. His limited experience didn't cover this sort of a situation. Ares Ares felt a little discouraged as she glided down the street, having stopped by to check on Nero to see if he had seen Merrimack anywhere. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be home, so her final stop was next: Ruya. While she knew the two weren't very close, she merely hoped that by some chance, he might have talked to her or she might have caught a glimpse of him from somewhere. Flitting up to the door, something seemed to catch her attention: a figure sitting by a window. ...Ruya? Instead of using the door, the black and blue feien flew over to the window, peering inside. However, she still had the courtesy to wait. "Ruya?" she called out from outside, hoping to be heard. Ruya Ruya stood up, dumping Rishi out of her lap. "Mother? Come in! I can find Kam if you would like the window opened more." Ruya glanced around. Where was Kam? She hadn't seen the girl all day. Ares "Oh, no...that's fine," she said, managing to smile a little bit. However, it was only halfhearted, as she couldn't find a reason to be happy at the moment. Ducking down, Ares slipped inside through the small enterance, picking herself up off of the windowsill. She smiled down at Rishi, reaching down to pet the dog lightly on the head. "Ruya, I'm sorry that I can't stay for too long...but I was hoping you might have seen Merrimack within the last couple of days?" she asked quietly, getting right to the point. Ruya Ruya just stared at her mother. "Merrimack? Is something wrong? No, I haven't see him, but Sunil..." Ruya took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. "I'll start at the beginning. Sunil came to me and told me Merrimack had been hurt and that she knew where he was. She had me go there last night. I assumed it was a lie, a trap, but when I got to the location she led me to there was no one there. I gave up and came home. But Merrimack is really missing?" Ruya teared up. What if her brother had been near there? Ares Ares kneeled down infront of her daughter, looking up at her a little bit. "Yes...yes, Merri has been missing for the last couple of nights. You said...that Sunil said he was hurt?? Do you know if she's seen him?" Noticing Ruya tear up, she frowned slightly, and pulled her into a hug. "Shhh...it's okay. W-we'll find him, okay? Merri...Merri's probably fine. Who knows...he could be better than we're thinking he is, right? Please...p-please don't cry too..." Tahki's logic really did make sense. She knew she had to be strong...that, everyone who cared about him needed to be strong. Because if they weren't strong, then Merrimack couldn't be either, right? Ruya Ruya gulped, trying to contain herself. If her brother was missing, her mom needed all the information they could glean out of Ruya's experience. "Sunil said she had heard about it, but nothing about seeing him. She said she heard he was too hurt to come home, that some juvenile was causing trouble... something about working on finding the location. Then she came to me and gave me a location. On a mountain in a clearing. But Merri wasn't there. No one was there when I got there. I can take you there, but I have a feeling Sunil was just using this situation to her benefit for some other purpose." Ruya sighed, Sunil probably knew nothing. For all that she was a b***h she would have just taken Ruya from home if she was going to do something herself. "If we could find out who Sunil might have set up to ambush me in the clearing, maybe we could find Merri. But I hate to get up your hopes mom, because you know Sunil. She lies all the time." Ares Mountain clearing...? That was too vague. Sighly lightly, she pulled herself away from Ruya and gently placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Yes...asking Sunil might not be any help at all. And, I'm sure she wouldn't want to help me, anyway...do you think you could take me to that clearing? Maybe we could look around, just to be sure?" she asked, softly petting her hair. She felt a lot of relief knowing that at least one of her children was safe at the moment...and she was sure Nero would be with their father. "Hopefully...Sunil is actually wrong about Merri being hurt." Ruya Ruya smiled reassuringly. "Sunil is often wrong about people. I agree in hoping she is wrong about this. And I will take you there." Ruya turned back into the room and pulled her rapier out of from under Kam's bed where it had been stashed. Then she returned to the window. "We're heading there, " Ruya pointed in the direction of Hurog Mountain and then wiggled under the door before waiting for her mother to follow. Ares Ares slipped underneath the window, flapping her wings a little bit as she reached outside. That mountain...it looked rather familiar. "All right, lead the way," she said, nodding her head a little bit. Ruya Ruya nodded and then took off for the mountain. She wasn't totally sure on the location of the clearing, so this might take a while. She thought about it as they flew though and once they got to the foot of the mountain and the dirt road, she was pretty sure where they were going. "Not much farther mom, " she said, searching the road ahead for familiar signs." Ares Ares quietly followed beside her daughter, making glances around the surroundings to see if she might be able to spot Merrimack. Unfortunately, there was no luck...but, this place was looking more and more familiar by the minute. Ruya Ruya took a turn as she spotted a familiar group of trees, and they were in the clearing. A feien sized lake glistened in the center and Ruya touched down where she had the night before by the shore. "This is it. When I got here I yelled for whoever Sunil sent to come fight me. Nothing moved that I saw and I took off." Ruya turned to look at her mom with a frown. Ares Ares hovered for a moment, flapping her wings needlessly, her three eyes gazing about. He couldn't be here...Merrimack didn't take well to water. Touching down onto the ground, she began to look around the area, trying to figure out what it might have been familiar. In the bushes, a small blue object seemed to stick out amoung the green, and reaching out to grab it, she realized it was a feather. "Blue...feather?" she muttered allowed, twirling it within her fingers. A very quick image flashed within her mind as it clicked, and she blinked a few times. "Oh my. I believe Tosten lives here." Ruya "Tosten?" Ruya looked puzzled. "I've met Tosten. He wouldn't hurt Merri. He showed me how to paint. Well, a little. What could he have to do with this?" Ares "Mm? Oh, no...nothing wrong. I just..." Ares sighed for a moment, standing up and walking back to Ruya. "Tosten didn't do anything. Would...it be all right if we stopped by there for a moment? I have something I need to tell him." Ruya Ruya nodded. "Sure! You lead, I'll follow." Ares Ares nodded before lifting herself up into the air, flapping her wings a little bit as they headed along the path toward the keep. It wasn't too long before the stone towers came into view, and the rather welcoming gates were right ahead. "I've only been here a couple of times, myself," she said quietly, checking back to make sure Ruya was still following. "It looks rather nice here." Tosten Tosten heaved a tired breath as he fluttered onto the keep grounds at this late hour. All that searching and not even a clue where Merrimack could be. How do you find the possible hide-aways of a feien who only ever hid in ONE place? The air feien shook his head and settled on a particularly large boulder that marked the dirt bailey before the secluded looking keep. He needed to rest his wings a bit, it was nicer to relax outside then go in and confront who might already be home. Ares Upon passing the gate, a blue figure caught the corner of her eye as she looked back, recognizing Tosten almost immediately. Turning back, she flitted up to the large stone, glancing up at the darker feien. "Tosten?" she piped up, making sure she wasn't bothering him. Ruya Ruya followed and waved to Tosten from behind her mother. She was glad to see him again even though it was under such terrible circumstances. Tosten Ah, the stars knew his name! Tosten blinked wide-eyed at the clear skies he had been admiring until that voice truly registered. Twitch twitch went those ears like a surprise rabbit and soon wide eyes were turned toward the pair of visitors. "Ares!" He squealed her name in delight, excited to see her as always - and look, Ruya too! Did she have good news? He was sitting forward, perched and ready to alight to the air to get closer before he noticed Ares didn't have the look to her that she would with good news. Oh, oh dear... perhaps he shouldn't be as happy of her visit, this could be bad. Ares Ares hesitated for a moment as she looked up at him, resting a gentle hand lightly on the stone. "I...we were around, so I thought I'd stop by really quick. Have...you heard anything new, Tosten?" she asked quietly. How much she wanted to ask him more about what he really knew, but right now wasn't the time for that. He had a reason for hiding anything...and she was accepting that. Ruya Ruya's smile faded behind her mom as she remembered why they were here. She looked up at Tosten and echoed her mom. "Have you been looking for Merrimack too? Have you found anything?" Tosten Tosten wilted visibly at the questions and tilted his head a bit to one side, looking away from them as he expressively thought it over - he wasn't good at hiding things, you see. Well he did learn that Calico hadn't killed Merrimack, but he couldn't tell them that! Even saying that he's alive wouldn't be a true, a bird could have gotten him by now... "No." He replied in disappointment, giving his head a shake. "I asked some feien I haven't seen before, and I gave the - tavern, is it? - the tavern a picture to put up so if someone saw him but didn't know who he was they could tell me." Ares Ares' tail flicked a little bit as she looked down in disappointment, closing her eyes for a moment. "I..." What could she really say? They were all trying so hard...and she was greatful. It meant a lot to her for just attempting. But...three nights? "What about Shalafi? Do you know if he's been found?" Ruya "There is someone else missing? Maybe they're together!" Ruya perked up, thinking that might be good news. Merrimack was in much less trouble if he was with someone else. And two feien should be much easier to find than one. Tosten Tosten looked to Ruya and gave a faint nod. "I, um, I was thinking that! Cause..." A glance to Ares. "I don't think Shalafi has been found either, I haven't heard it at least. Maybe they're together somewhere?" If there was an optimistic hope in existence, he was always sure to try and grab for it. Ares Ares sighed lightly, and nodded. It was a better hope than anything, right? Anything to get her mind off of thinking the worst. "If...if you find anything else, please tell me?" she nearly pleaded. "Anything about either of them..." Ruya Ruya put an arm around her mom's shoulders. This had to be really tough for her. "Tosten, you've been searching around here right? I mean, its probably nothing but Sunil sent me around here the other night with some story about Merrimack. She lies a lot, but what if she knew something?" Ruya sighed, she just hoped the two missing feien would be found. Tosten "Sunil?" Tosten couldn't help but echo the name as though he hadn't heard it right. Wow, he hadn't heard about her for weeks and now twice in one day he hears her name. "-- ah, wait. Sent you around here?" He realized the end of the sentence in surprise. Why would Sunil send Ruya near Hurog to find Merrimack? He wasn't here, Tosten was somewhat sure of, he'd been through these woods as thoroughly as a small feien could! What was Sunil up to...? And to Ruya no less. He frowned and looked down, wringing his fingers together as he mumbled apologetically. "I haven't seen him around here. But if I learn something I'll tell you Ares! Promise!" He added on hurriedly to Ares' request. Ares Placing her hand on Ruya's, she gently squeezed it, managing a smile. "If you're up to putting up with Sunil, then I'll leave that up to you to ask. Because, as I said before, I know she won't talk to me... and if you find out anything as well, then you also let me know, okay?" Then, looking back up to Tosten, she carefully reached one hand up to hug him gently, kissing his cheek lightly. "I...you don't have to tell me, I understand," she whispered quietly, intending for only him to hear. "I have faith in you, Tosten...I know you'll find my son." Pulling back, she placed her hand on his cheek lightly and smiled. Ruya Ruya smiled as her mom spoke to Tosten. They were obviously close. When her mom was done she gently answered her earlier question. "If Sunil tells me anything, I will make sure to let you know." Ares Ares turned to Ruya, hugged her, and lightly kissed the top of her head. "That's my girl...maybe I should start calling you and Tosten my detectives." Tosten One could take every aspect of the universe and mold it together and it still would be unable to equal the amount of relief that ran through Tosten when Ares whispered those few words. He stared at her silently when she drew back, barely even registering anything Ruya and her were saying to eachother. She knew he was keeping a secret and she didn't hate him for it... thank every God in every religion for that. He managed to recover by Ares' last words to beam a smile. "Mm! Super expert scooby-doo detectives, we'll find them, don't worry!" He chimed back optimistically. How he wished he could tell her the important information she should know, but if he did that Merrimack would be in a thousand times more danger then he was now... so he'd just have to do his best and find him first! Ares Ares giggled silently at Tosten, then looked down at Ruya. "All right...shall I take you home now?" she asked quietly, petting her hair softly. "I don't want to upset Kam with you being gone or anything." Ruya Ruya nodded, stifling yawn. Flying always tired her out quite a bit and the day had been full of excitement. "Sounds like a plan. Bye Tosten! Now that I know where you live, I'll have to visit you again sometime." Tosten This went better then he had been worrying about. In fact he felt better from the visit and more energized to search for Merrimack more tomorrow. He gave a big wave to them both, a full arm kind. "Okay!" - Wait, no that was bad, too late now - "Bye bye! Be careful of owls!" The usual warning. He hopped to his feet then, feeling refreshed enough to head inside. He lingered to make sure they got as far as the gate before he fluttered to the air and off to the keep.
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