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 Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 9:34 am
This post is not relevant at all. I have no idea why it's here. ...Hmm.
*Does a crazy little hobbit jig.*
Now it means something.
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:51 pm
Within a leatherbound journal resides messy, arched, and narrow handwriting I crashed. God, I crashed.
I can conjure fire, play with the elements, stop hoards of demons, but I can’t even fly a blasted airship.
Yes, the crappy piece of junk Zarien and I found was just that. A crappy piece of junk. It managed most of the flight, but couldn’t take the planet’s - the one I’m on now - atmosphere. It kind of...flattened like a pancake and whizzed to a halt when it hit the ground.
I proved Newton’s first theory right: an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by another force. How embarrassing.
Anyway, the place I landed on - other than my butt - was really quite beautiful...I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would have. I did crash, after all. It wasn’t soon after I did crash, that I was found by this...bunny girl. Her name’s Elizabeth, but is called Bizzy more often than not. She was very kind, and around my age too! We seemed more lost then. My memory is pretty bad...that crash really got to me...
Anyway, we were then found by some other people. A woman named Merci and another named Cin. These people were VERY kind and guided us back to camp. I couldn’t help but notice the people in masks, though...I thought it was a custom until I was told what had happened. It seems these people had been cursed...but by whom, I don’t know. Not yet anyway. I couldn’t talk to them either, it seems that their form of speaking is telepathy and though I can do that, I can’t with them. They can only speak with their bonded.
I met one, though. His name was Kenshi. A little samurai child with a beautiful black and white masque. We sort of...struggled while speaking to one another. From what I collected, however, he was very sweet.
Merci was so very kind. I must get something for her...give her something.
Anyhoo...another mask - one that seemed in a rush - came over and gave something to me. It was a masque...like the people of the planet seemed to wear. Merci told me that it would become a child if I took care of it and cherished it...- Sukkubus looks down at the masque, which sits at her side; she is laying on her cot. - And I do...It’s so very pretty, so simple but so elegant. I wonder what it’ll look like as a child...
And mother...I will find you. So many hints...I just have to find the time. Checklist for tomorrow: - Ask around for mother
- Look into bird life and plant species
- Help out around base
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Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:22 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:14 pm
A torn piece of paper is tacked upon the door of her room, a quick note scrawled across it I've gone off to look for my mother, everyone. Sorry for the short notice. I hope to be back soon, and I promise I'll help out more when I get back.
My sincerest apologies,
Sukku
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Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 8:26 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 8:38 am
The Aftermath She was completely unaware of what was currently taking place. The only thing she knew was there was the hard ground beneath her feet and the acute smell of civilization ahead. Her muscles strained and burned with pain as she used her remaining energy to propel herself towards the room she was staying at. Her head was bowed the entire time, eyes shut against the onslaught of tears that seeped through her lids and clung desperately to her lashes. Her chest was tight and something built up within it, bubbling over the edge as she tore into her room. Sukkubus landed heavily on her cot, a loud sob heaving her chest upwards. A familiar warmth was pressed against her thigh, and reaching down, the fox-girl pulled her mask from placed, nearly crushing it against her chest. Dry retches followed her sob, becoming a mix between the two. Her tail coiled tightly around her leg, her ears flattening against her skull. Sukk~~u... a melodic voice sang within her head. Su~huuukku~!!The young woman ground her teeth and drew her knees up. She needed to regain her composure. She had to. She would not lose control like this. As she stroked the reassuring warmth of the masque, and began to gradually relax, her eyes opening to mere slits. Tears made her vision prism and she blinked rapidly to push them back. Breath hitching only several more times, Sukku began to calm...albeit slowly. She laid prone on her cot for minutes on end, time slowly dragging by. So slowly, the emotionally unstable girl found herself falling into a light sleep.
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Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 8:42 am
Strange Beginnings: Etsu's Awakening As Sukkubus slept, she never came to fully realize that the masque held so close to her chest began to glow with the barest of white ambiences. Every time the girl shifted, the mask grew a bit more bright, until the holes where the eyes were filled with it, like one pouring milk into a glass. A small form began to take shape, pushing the demon girl's arms out loosely, one arm seemingly hanging in the air, clutching nothing but the faint white light that had yet to actually amount to anything. All at once, the light expanded and just as quickly as it came, it receded, pressing back into the small form that Sukkubus now currently held. The first sensation the young girl felt was that of warmth seeping through her front. The next was of a kind of...hard and pliant material beneath her side. But ultimately, she felt trapped. How afraid she was to open her eyes! Her mind felt wasted and her eyes burned with a dull ache, the sensation one would have after sleeping much too long. She moved back slightly, her muscles spasming at the suddenness of her decision. As afraid she was to open her eyes, she was even more curious...
So she decided to sate that curiosity of hers.
With pain-stakingly slow actions, the girl peeled her eyes open and focused on the sight before her. The...thing was much too close for comfort, and with a jerky movement, she wrenched backwards and tore out of the other's grasp, nearly falling off the side of the cot.
And to her horror, 'it' awakened.Sukku awoke with a jolt, something knocking her in the chest (where she was quite sensitive, thank you very much) and pushing her backwards. Her honey hued eyes snapped open, the light of the room distorting her vision for a split second. It took her no time at all to notice that someone else was occupying her cot. Pushing herself up and readjusting her glasses, the halfling took sight of the young girl and... Yelped loudly, falling off the side of her cot. She fell with a thud on the ground, landing squarely on both her butt and her tail. Another yelp tore through her lips and she winced, sliding it slowly from its place. Swallowing hard, her eyes flittered to the form on her bed...and she choked on her own gasp. There upon her bed...was a child...wearing her mask! Along with the most intricate kimono she had ever seen, donning bright colors that contrasted very well with her solid black hair. It was pinned up, she noted, with little ornaments sticking from the side. Despite all this, that had held Sukku in awe... The first thing out of her mouth was: "Who are you?!" Who would dare... The girl, who sat rigid upon the cot, stiffened and stared down at the tousle-haired woman, wide eyed. She was rather frightening...and in need of a comb. She kept these thoughts to herself, of course. She went to part her lips to reply, her dignity ruffled at the other's outburst, but she found that her voice...instead of making a sound, transferred to a link that snapped out within her mind like an elastic band.
I am...! she started, but failed to bring anything up. Her slanted eyes widened marginally, with a slowness that was surprising. And Sukkubus knew that if she could see the face resting behind that impassive mask...it would be horrified. In a habit not even she could remember, but reassuring nonetheless, the child raised her hands to her lips, coming into contact with something solid...
That clearly wasn't her mouth.
A thick silence drifted into the room, nearly palpable and all too suffocating. The air seemed to become sickeningly stuffy with the awkwardness that prevailed as the one occupying the bed attempted to regain control. She swallowed, her hands dropping to press down upon the invisible wrinkles that marred her silken garb.
Sukku broke the silence with a soft cough, followed by a well enunciated 'umm'...
She had no jerky movements, only graceful ones. With a simple arch of her neck, the girl was looking at the halfling again, her composure fixed as though it was never lost. I am Etsu... she finally finished. Noting the look upon the blonde?s face, she swallowed minutely and continued.
It is my name.
Finally looking away, the girl eyed her surroundings with rising suspicion . Her eyes flickered over the books spilled upon the ground, archaic symbols etched into the front. Behind the mask, the girl?s eyes furrowed.
What was this girl...?
Etsu's eyes shot back over to Sukkubus, and she shifted slowly as realization struck. She took in the fox tail and ears with mounting horror, and pushed herself backwards. Her chest tightened with anger, her fingertips coming up to brush against the immovable mask that lay there. This girl...this...kitsune had cursed her!
Snake... her mind hissed. Witch! You...did this to me! W-what am I to do?Sukkubus winced visibly, the voice in her head rising from calm coolness, to blatant hysteria. She was so preoccupied with the cries that raked across her mind that she failed to notice Etsu grab the nearest object and throw it at her. It hit her in the shoulder with a painful crack and the demon child doubled over, grasping it. What the... A rain of objects assaulted her then, and she raised her arms in a feeble attempt to defend herself. Was Etsu insane!? Great! She got the crazy mask. Bruises rose along her arms as she took the brunt of the abuse, ducking her head away. Let her throw things...as if she?d never been rejected before! Snake and witch were all too common nicknames for the girl. But.... Sukku stole a peek at the wide-eyed girl, who had lifted a hefty magic book to throw at her again. Her mind worked all at once, blocking the Etsu?s terrified screaming and sour insults. She deserves the truth, even if I never got it...Shooting forward, Sukku leapt onto the cot (which barely held now) and grabbed the little girl's tiny wrists. The book dropped and hit her in the knee, but she barely noticed as Etsu had started thrashing in her hold. Let go of me! Unhand me NOW!Stubborn little girl, wasn?t she? Sukku gave her a weak shake and did the only thing she could think of: gathered the masked girl into her arms. Of course, she pinned her arms down in the process as well. As subtle a movement this may have been, it had worked on Sukku herself plenty of times...when she lost control, that is. Etsu squirmed in her grasp until Sukku's voice broke through her hysteria. "Stop it!" she pleaded, arms tightening. "I didn't do this to you, I promise on all things holy. Alright?! I didn't...do it. But I promise you, I'll find out who did. I haven't even been here long, I don't know anything about this planet...I just came to look for my mother! Neither of us deserves this...this treatment. I hate not knowing things just as you do...but if you just calm down and trust me, I'll help you..." Etsu had fallen silent within her mind, her body limp against Sukkubus's. It wasn't like her to lose control like this, and as her anger receded, embarrassment replaced it. The little girl let out a single, dry sob, her hands curling at her sides. The room was silent for a time before she 'spoke' again.
How do I know I can trust you?"You just...have to. As much as I want answers myself, I'll help you get yours first...I just...I was appointed as your guardian, Etsu...I intend to guard you. Just please..." She trailed off and loosened her arms, allowing the little girl some room. Her head was bowed, mask invisible to Sukku's prying eyes, but she could tell she was thinking. Would she trust her? Allow her to care for her as she was supposed to? She broke from her reverie as Etsu made a small movement and proceeded to do something Sukkubus would have never thought she'd do... Etsu grabbed her hand within her delicate one and bowed forward, touching her forehead to it softly. A-alright, Fox-san...I... I shall trust you.And as she looked upwards again, the halfling girl could have sworn Etsu was smiling.
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 12:38 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 12:51 pm
Alania At some point it had just been too much for her to bear.
It felt like life was starting to repeat itself. She saw her husband and her son abandoning her all over again, in the eyes of her betraying teenage boy. He'd been gone now for days, with no sign of return.
She had been abandoned. Again. This time, she knew it was no accident.
Alania left the children and her pets under her angel's care as usual, promising to return once her mind had been sorted out. She gave no effective date, but she had promised.. and she knew she would fulfill that promise. Still, they had understood that she simply needed some time.. alone.
She would never abandon her family as they had done to her, however.
And so with that in mind, she sought the farthest reaches of escape, in order to clear her head in an attempt to forget the pain that welled up everytime she thought of her husband, or her sons. No quiet spot on earth was enough however, and so she'd done the unthinkable. She'd done something that, in truth, she hadn't done since she was nine, in her first attempt to run away from Hinata.
She returned to the stars from whence her kind came.
Floating around aimlessly, the spiky ship looked to have no real purpose. A bright purple dome rested atop the grayish craft, opaque and impossible to see through. The ship itself looked aggressive, though small. It was obviously armed, and the huge spikes jutting out from all sides of it didn't necessarily look friendly. Nonetheless, Alania wasn't looking for a fight. She was looking for an escape.
At some point after hours of flight, fatigue struck. She figured one planet was as good as any, and landed at the nearest, unaware of it's habitants, or it's climate. If it was uninhabitable, well.. she didn't actually have to deal with it as long as she remained.. shipped.
The small craft landed slowly, extending three of it's spikes down to the ground as her landing engines blew up dust around her. It took a few minutes, but eventually her engines cooled, and the dust settled. The ship sat there, doing nothing. No noise came from it, and no sign of opening occurred.
She just sat there, in some random planet far away, and tried her very hardest not to think.
It was easier to do so when you were a huge lunk of metal. Sukkubus She had been dozing peacefully when she heard it first. Her sensitive fox ears could pick up the most indiscreet noises, things that sounded natural to the area if not a little displaced. And being on Masquerade for some time, she was still getting used to all the new noises, both human and non human alike. But when the grinding of dirt - like something heavy displacing the earth - reached her comically large ears, she awoke quick enough to disorient herself. Readjusting her glasses, she glanced at Etsu who sat at her side and quirked her brows.
She still appeared tired; crying did that to you.
�Did you hear that?� she asked, ears perked upwards.
Unlike her guardian, Etsu had sat straight and rigid the entire time the sun had begun to rise. She was keeping herself entertained with whimsical thoughts such as a child would do, even though she looked the sight of a small adult on her outer edges. So immersed within the thoughts of different silly songs and her own kimono patterns that she was taken by surprise at the sound of Sukkubus�s query.
Hear what? she responded after the had composed herself after the slight jump she�d given. She had clearly answered Sukku�s question, which was a definite �no�.
�Nothing. I...� Upon spotting Etsu�s disappointed look at not being told, she reconsidered it with a sigh. �I just heard something strange...landing or something, I dunno. Maybe I�m paranoid.�
She smiled faintly and looked into the direction the noise had come, her ears arched high. It was clear she was curious, but she made no move as to stand and look.
Huh. She wasn�t going to look? Etsu may have been refined, but she was still a child. And a child�s curiosity is always in need of sating.
So the masked girl climbed to her feet and took a step forward, turning to Sukku who glanced her way with a dumbfounded look. For someone who seemed so smart, she seemed to lack in the common sense department. But Etsu was patient...or as patient as one such as herself could get. She gave her hand an errant wave, her eyes smiling.
Well, sitting here will not tell us what it is. We should go look for it!
Etsu�s actions made Sukku laugh delightedly for the first time since...well, a long time. Maybe being able to care for this girl wouldn�t be so bad...after all, one did need human companionship and a bunch of mice and a faerie weren�t enough to hold a plausible conversation. So she jumped to her feet and placed her hand within the small geisha girl�s before curling her fingers around it and dragging her into the depths of the forest and after the noise she had heard earlier.
�It�s this way! I know it!�
~
When they broke through the final copse of trees, wheezing (more like Sukku was), they were slow to catch the sight of the large space craft sitting in their way. The halfling bent over and brushed her knees off, having tripped sometime in the forest; she was clumsy like that. Her tail bristled minutely as she caught her breath, and she brushed her bangs back with her arms.
�Well...that was uneventful, eh Etsu?� She laughed sheepishly and turned to regard the girl (and apologize as well), only to not spot her at her side. She began to panic before Etsu called her name softly, the definite traces of awe within her voice.
Fox-san...
She needn�t say any more. For as Sukku turned to leaf through the trees at their side, she spotted (as if she couldn�t see it) the gargantuan spaceship resting almost innocently upon the forest floor.
�What in the hell...� Alania Though the sounds of life shuffling through the forest reached her, Alania truly didn't care. What was a wild animal going to do, bite her spikes? She felt more sorry for their teeth than anything if they were stupid enough to try.
Though she couldn't see as if with normal eyes, she could sense her surroundings, and considered them beautiful. Still, her heart ached. And though Sukkubus and Etsu would find the ship there, they would see no movement or sign of life from the ship.
Well, they would see nothing, at least. But if they weren't talking, and if they listened hard enough, they just might hear the faintest little tiny echo of a soft sob. The ship.. sounded like it was crying. Sukkubus It is enormous...what is it, Fox-san?
Etsu's soft, upturned eyes were wide with a mixture of awe and confusion. Moving her sandaled feet rigidly, she took a cautious step forward, tucking her hands back within the sleeves of her kimono once again. The ornate ornaments within her hair gave off the faintest of lyrical tinkles as she moved towards the awkward looking aircraft, head tilted back to gaze at it in wonder.
What could it be?
Sukku seemed at a complete loss of words. If this was indeed a spaceship, it was the strangest one she had ever lain eyes on. She followed after her charge rather stiffly, her tail whisking idly behind her.
"I think it's a ship," she replied. If the ship were to have occupants, it would have sounded strange (depending on whether they heard her) simply because it was as though she were speaking to herself. After all, Etsu's voice reached her mind only...for the time being.
The silence that overtook the small clearing was broken only by the faintest of noises...one of which the halfling woman managed to catch. It was faint, but sounded large within the empty meadow. Her head turned in the geisha's direction who gave a simple nod: an affirmative.
She had heard it as well.
The sound had certainly startled her, and she kept replaying it within her mind. It was akin to a sob, but Sukku was unsure if it really was. So she threw all her caution to the wind and sidled up to one of the three spikes, stretching a hand forward to touch it.
Be careful! the masked child warned, her hands clasping together tightly within her sleeves. Her eyes were crinkled with worry for her guardian, whom though she had just recently come to meet, had managed to gain her trust.
They needed to trust each other were they to help one another, after all. Alania The touch was enough to startle Alania, as she hadn't been expecting anything other than some animal. She sensed the two, and her sobs stilled. For a moment there was silence, as she contemplated to herself just how long it might take before the two gave up and left. There was more of a chance that they might try to board her, however.. an idea that didn't bode well for her at all. Boarding her would be a rather personal matter, after all.. something only those she knew and trusted should ever attempt or consider. These two knew nothing of her etiquette, however.. and it was not their fault.
The stillness was interrupted by the sound of her engines flaring. Hopefully it would scare the two into backing up a little, enough to give her room to change. The ship shrunk slowly, without any special effect to it. It shrunk until it was small enough, before a soft *pop* left the woman crouched on the floor where the ship had been. Her arms were wrapped around herself, and she looked up at them with slight annoyance, before reality set in.
She had forgotten just how much effort it took to do something like that, especially when one was so out of practice. In realization of what she was about to do, she let one word out a soft breath..
"Oh."
And promptly fell to the ground unconscious. Sukkubus The engines managed to scare the life out of both of them, and they did step back. Or rather, Sukkubus did. Etsu had frozen to the spot like a timid deer, and her guardian had to hoist her up and drag her backwards to clear the way of the ship. She thought it was about to up and fly away again, but no...it sat there still, humming with life.
When the woman took the place of the space craft, Sukkubus felt a bout of idiotic dizziness. This was really too much...she had seen strange, but this was about a million miles behind the line and boundaries of her type of normality. She rubbed her eyes and parted her lips to let out a stupid noise, or make a misplaced question, when the woman tipped forward.
She had never moved so quickly in her life. It was instinct, plain and simple.
The masked girl had darted forward the moment woman had shown the signs of losing consciousness. She didn't know what drove her to do it, but she stretched her arms out, whipping them from beneath the delicate sleeves of her kimono, and caught the violet haired woman.
Only to fold beneath her weight.
It was a given though. Etsu had yet to break even 100 lbs, so it was natural she wouldn't be able to support the other. With the strangest of noises (that even made Sukku break from her surprise and giggle) which was like a mixture of a whimper and a grunt, she bent back to glanced wearily at her guardian.
F-Fox-san! She is...crushing me! Help!
After her surprise and amusement wore away, the halfling girl padded towards the two and knelt beside them, shooing Etsu back. Sukku may have seemed a little small, but she was strong. With the young geisha's help, she managed to position the woman on her back, grabbing ahold of her arms and pulling her up so that she was piggyback. One of her eyes squinted shut with the strain of standing up straight.
Just because she was stronger than most girls her age didn't mean she was a powerhouse.
"Oi. We should probably take her back to the base, huh?" she asked more to herself than to her child. With a sheepish grin that only Etsu would probably see, she turned a looked at the girl.
"We'll have to take turns carrying her. She's kinda heavy."
Etsu's face read no all over. Alania Alania slumped without meaning to onto the little one, and when she was carried off, she didn't move. Her form was useless, flopped against Sukkubus as she carried her off. She could just barely hear voices in her sub-conscious, but nothing would wake her up for a while. She was simply worn.. her body needed to rest. She hadn't changed like that since she was nine.. what had she been thinking? One doesn't up and decide to do things like that without practice..
.. no one with any common sense, at least. Sukkubus Sukkubus half-ran, half-walked in a crouch back towards the base, making sure that she kept the woman secure and that Etsu was safely at her side. Her bright orange tail was set out straight behind her, sharp as an arrow as though to keep her balance. Her muscles were beginning to burn, yes, but she didn't stop.
She was stubborn like that.
She realized she was rather grateful for the appearence of Etsu and this woman...she needed something to take her mind off of her mother, and this was doing quite a good job. She still felt the anxiety wrack the back of her mind, but she found it easy to cover with a mental blanket.
She could worry about all that later. Hopefully when she was alone.
We are here. Etsu announced. Shall I standby for help?
"N-not yet," she muttered. "I'll need your help inside...open the door for me, please." Etsu complied willingly, and Sukku staggered into the room set out for her upon heavy feet. With a loud sigh of relief, she slid the cabbit-woman from her back and onto the cot she was issued, turning to settle her right afterwards.
"There. Hopefully it's nothing too severe," Sukku replied, smiling weakly as she brushed her bangs aside with the back of her bruised arm.
Etsu had disappeared for a moment's notice, only to reappear with a blanket she had pulled from the corner. With delicate hands, she unfolded it carefully and pulled it over the woman's prone form. The girl had a very caring nature, and she felt as though she owed it to this woman...for something. She stood there for some time before turning and exiting once again, leaving Sukku with a confused look within her eyes.
She wasn't gone long, once again, and resting within her small hands was a damp towel. She may have not needed it, but Etsu certainly thought she did. And again, with a kindness and innocense lost to all but children, she placed in over the unconscious one's forehead.
There...I shall stand watch outside now. Alania It had been quite some time before Alania felt rested enough to waken. Once she did however, her eyes fluttered open quickly, and the stark amber gaze stared up with a steady gaze at the woman watching over her. Without hesitance, she pushed herself up to a sitting position, taking a few seconds to do so. Her eyes never left Sukkubus, and she never turned her back on the woman.
After a moment of silence, a scratchy throat voiced it's concern.
"..May I inquire as to who you are? And.. where am I?"
First and foremost, it was important for her to get her bearings. The last thing she could remember was being in ship form - she couldn't even recall landing, or where she had chosen to land. For all she knew, she had crashed. It would explain why she had such a headache.. though she had never crashed before, so she couldn't assume to know what it would feel like. It would make more sense to be dead in such a case, but there wasn't a scratch on her right now as it were. Still, crashing was not altogether pushed out as a possibility.
Alania's gaze briefly left Sukku to focus on the window behind her, and her head craned just slightly to get a glimpse of her surroundings. She wasn't back on Gaia, was she? No, that was most unlikely of all. It was more probable that she was lost. She heard faint voices, and her left ear rose up to it's full two foot height, trying to catch the sounds and where they came from. Throughout all this, she did not move save for her ear, and her eyes returned to Sukkubus, focusing on the woman that she was determined to find answers for.
..Assuming she spoke English, of course. Sukkubus Of course, being the way she was, the halfling girl didn't even notice the subtle movements of the large eared woman's awakening. She had removed her glasses and began twisting them carelessly within her hands, heavy tail flicking back and forth as she fell deep into thought.
Where had she come from? It had to be somewhere; people don't just fall from the sky. ...Unless they were crashing. In an airship.
Like she had.
Sukku groaned at the memory.
But this woman had been her ship, unless she had some strange magic and managed to suck the ship into something she couldn't see. Oh! that made her doubly curious, now! Despite this, her face remained quite solemn and drawn; she had always managed to keep her emotions inside. With a soft sigh, she bent over her new charge to check on her, only to finally realize she was up and inquiring as to her whereabouts.
In her surprise, a sort of dumbfounded gurgle left her lips.
Well, this was reminiscent of Etsu's awakening, that was for sure. The girl's honey hued eyes flicked around unconsciously, checking for any loose items to snatch up before this woman got the idea of throwing them at her...as her masque had. But no, everything was nice and neat, and there was no sign of the geisha's earlier struggle, save for the pretty little bruises running up the guardian's arms.
She set her glasses back upon her face and rubbed one of her ears, arms folding beneath her chest. "I'm Sukkubus," she answered quietly, brows giving a small furrow. "And you're on Masquerade...in my house. Thing." Her eyes regarded the room again.
"You didn't...mean to land here?"
Etsu waited patiently outside the base, a splash of erratic color before the house. Her hands were tucked together neatly, head bowed. She itched to look back, and even head inside to keep a vigil over the new arrival, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot.
Everything was happening faster than she would have liked. But such was life, and it wouldn't slow just for her.
Her fingers twisted impatiently within her kimono, and in attempt to keep her fidgeting at a minimum, the child began to hum - or rather, sing - a wordless song. Something she simply spun together with her lyrical voice.
She supposed later on that the only person able to have even heard her was her guardian...and that thought dampened her spirits. (Enter the Rade...) Ice Queen Ice blinked, looking at the purple squirming cub in her arms, then at the unconscious one in Io's. Then she sighed. "Not many people will be happy with this." She commented dryly, trading the squirming cub for the unconscious one. Io made a face at her. She glanced over at Chae and Gee. "You two have been here from the beginning. Or nearly so. You know what the Rade have done to us. And I suppose you know what we've done to them. What do you say?" Io ignored her, the sound of singing making her distracted. She didn't know that voice... It sounded like a child. Without a thought she tucked the purple cub under her arm and headed into the village, curious. She paused, catching sight of Etsu in front of a house, and smiled, heading for her. "That's a nice song." She said, crouching down in front of the little girl. "I'm Io. And you are?" Alania "Masquerade?" What an odd name for a planet.. certainly one she'd never heard of. She wondered if her brother knew of such a place.. he was the astronomy nut after all, not her. She much rather preferred her Rune study over looking to the stars.
Unfortunately it might have come in handy now, while her runes certainly would not.
The woman stood, pushing off the bed. She was obviously unhurt, and unphased from the trip now that she'd rested. She was only disoriented and feeling just a bit lost.
"No, I didn't mean to come here," She murmured smartly, walking to the window and looking directly out at it. She turned swiftly after a moment's thought, finding herself a bit rude for turning her back on the woman. Be she captor or host, Alania would never be rude to her on purpose.
"Your name is Sukkubus, you mentioned? I am Alania. I am from Gaia. Do you know of it?" She had no idea that Sukku was a native of Gaia, and not Masquerade.. how could she? For all she knew, she was speaking to a woman who'd grown up in the wilds of Masquerade all her life.
----
Just keep running. Don't look back, don't look back.
Had it been an hour? Two, perhaps? It must have been more.. but she couldn't stop to think about it. She'd flown through the trees, speeding away once she'd managed to trick the wild Rade that found her into being distracted. She didn't know when they realized she was gone, nor did she know if they were still following. For all she knew, they were all around her, waiting.. watching.. they would pounce on her and devour her flesh the moment she collapsed in fatigue.
So she simply didn't stop.
She hadn't flown until she was far from where they'd found her, simply because the humming of her thin little wings was sure to catch their attention. But her wings had tired out long before she had, and now she was just running. She knew she wouldn't find safety, but as long as she didn't stop, she held on to some vague hope that they wouldn't attack.
She would run until she died, either way.
Bursting out into a clearing, she paused for just a moment, before continuing to stumble forward, her blurred eyes catching sight of figures ahead. They didn't look like Rade.. in fact they looked a lot like what she could only faintly remember her own kind to look like. She ran towards Io and Etsu, a quick rush of relief passing over her - until her running had gotten her close enough to see the Rade in Io's arms, and her eyes widened in horror. The girl stumbled to a stop just past Io, only to swivel in a circle and fall to the ground unconscious.
At least she wouldn't feel death. Ice Queen "You make a good point." Ice said, nodding and wiping her forehead with her forearm again. She walked over to Charlie, picking up the pinkish purple female by the scruff, still holding the unconscious one in her arms. "Do you think you can back your words up with your actions?" It wasn't as if SHE wanted to raise the batch. The sooner she got them off her hands, the better. Rade weren't her favorite creatures, to say the least. *************** Io jerked, heading for the unconscious winged creature before Etsu could respond. She had to juggle the cub so she could crouch down next to her, but somehow managed. "Hey... are you okay?" Sukkubus Etsu had calmed considerably, allowing her eyes to fall shut as she sang to herself, weaving a story together with the fibers of her song. It may not have had words, but it had meaning...at least, to the little girl it did. Her hands had stopped their twisting and fell still to rest against her bright red obi. She allowed her voice to dwindle towards an end, planning to stress it out...only it cut off abruptly at the sound of Io's voice.
Her dark eyes snapped open, a look of bewilderment coloring them, followed closely by apprehension. She stared at the other, a blind sort of look about her before she was pulled from it unsteadily; she didn't seem to be a danger, and was in fact quite pretty. A sigh of relief passed through her, a smile alighting her face behind the mask at the compliment – wait a moment. She could hear her?
She made to speak...but was cut off again at the appearance of a winged being, who had come barreling through the trees only to collapse before the two. Oh, she and her guardian were having a major bout of deja vu today...
Despite all this, Etsu managed to respond quickly and shuffled for the being as well, head snapping back and forth between her, Io, and the house. Her eyes looked a bit drawn, but she turned and pelted for the house, stopping only to call over her shoulder.
I will be right back!
Sukkubus was not at all phased by the way this woman - Alania - acted. She was duly reminded of the way she acted when she was a child and made to keep quiet. However, she did react when she had stood so suddenly a few moments before, and reached out to aid her, only to realize the woman didn't need her help. So in the end she dropped her hands and stood there, regarding the cabbit woman quietly.
Her fiery orange ears flicked upwards. "Ah...yes! But you can call me Sukku or Su if you want," a smile softened her features at this. "Everyone does."
Or...my friends do, the halfling thought solemnly. As nice as the people were on Masquerade, she missed her friends back home...especially the ones she hadn't seen in ages. Namely Zarien. She jumped when Alania mentioned Gaia though, and her face lit up like a small child's.
"I do!" she said rather excitedly, her more white than orange tail whisking back and forth. "I used to – "
Fox-san!
Etsu tumbled through the door, her eyes trained on her guardian. Her eyes darted from her to Alania, and a dazed look came about her. My! Life had just lapped her! Raising a hand to her lips, she shook her head and continued, but not before giving them both a hasty bow.
Someone has collapsed outside! They are being cared for now...but I thought maybe you could help.
"Another one?" she quipped, looking at Etsu. She glanced at Alania before following after the masked girl who had disappeared yet again. Oh! She was being rude. "Sorry about this...that was Etsu. She sort of put you together when we brought you here."
She tilted her head, "You can come...I mean...well, I'm going. Just...well, you could follow if you like."
She had all the uncertainty of a child as she stumbled over her words, and she noticed so she cut herself short and made after her masked charge. Nio Love Alania accepted the nickname, and her ears flickered and twitched when the woman lit up at the mention of Gaia. So she was not in the presence of natives after all? Perhaps the woman was as lost as she.
This thought was dispelled when a masked girl rushed in and bowed silently to the two, before rushing off without a word. Or so she thought.
"Etsu? Put me together?" Her voice had a hesitant confusion about it. Things were slowly winding out of her understanding as time went on.. and something told her they would only get more confusing if she followed.
Despite that, she did.
----
The silence did not last long. Worry brought the girl back to her conscious, and she opened her eyes, focusing on the beautiful woman in front of her. She gave the woman a careful glance, with a hint of desperate questioning to grace it. She only hoped that whoever this was would protect her from..
..from..
Her eyes had trailed down, and she realized that it hadn't been a hallucination. There, in the woman's grasp, was a Rade cub. Cub or not.. it was Rade, and it made the girl's stomach convulse in fear. Her eyes widened and she let out a choked gasp, her arms and legs moving quickly to push herself as far back as possible from the woman and the Rade.
She would not be sacrificed tonight! Ice Queen Io blinked, then picked the cub up so she was looking in her eyes. "You're making her nervous. Sleep." The cub fell asleep as easy as that. "Shhh, it's alright. No one's going to hurt you." She told the female, reaching out a hand. "We just want to know what you were running from. And if you're okay." Sukkubus Etsu didn't turn to watch as her guardian came up behind her. She was busy staring at both Io and the winged creature she was speaking to. Her curiosity got the best of her and she sidled forward in hopes to hear more of what was going on; sure she was reserved, but she was still nosy, all kids were.
What is going on?
The fox tailed girl stayed behind, her arms folding behind her back as she craned forward to catch a glimpse of the others. One of them seemed almost familiar, while the other was completely alien to her. What was the girl so afraid of? She moved forward as well, edging closer to the geisha and peering over her head at the tuft of purple she managed to spot.
Was that an animal?
Funny how child and guardian were so alike in their antics. Nio Love Alania wasn't as curious about the situation, as much as she was about the people involved. Io especially caught her attention. Quite a sight for someone who's never been here before, Alania regarded the woman with a curious glance. She was quite beautiful.
Though Etsu was the first who would normally have caught her attention, Alania had automatically assumed the child to be a normal one, wearing a mask as some sort of a game. She knew no better.
---
The girl looked at Io's outstretched hand, then back into her eyes. This went on twice more, before she shook her head frantically.
"From -that-!" She answered, nudging her head sharply at the sleeping Rade in Io's arms. "Don't you know what that is?! Why haven't you killed it yet! Unless you are some kind of worshipper, in which case you will not have me!"
She did not accept the hand, she only remained perched as if ready to take flight the moment Io tried to come closer. Ice Queen "Ooookay..." Io said, then turned to Etsu. "It seems she had a run-in with the Rade at some time. It kind of figures, most do. But you're safe here. The only Rade we have are a few cubs and a teen that my aunt rescued. The ones out there are controlled by a large b*****d named Baron." She turned, looking at the little girl. "We need to find a home for this one... do you know anyone?" Nio Love The girl looked unconvinced. Her eyes flickered to the masked girl that Io turned to speak with, before returning to the Rade. It looked harmless enough, but she knew better.
"You keep Rade cubs? But.."
She couldn't argue with the logic. How better to fight against predators than to steal their young and train them to be your own? It was brilliant. These people were obviously very smart.
"I.. ah.." She didn't know anyone who could take care of them. Her family were all dead. And as much as she wouldn't mind having a Rade to guard her from the others.. she felt too young for such a responsibility alone. "No, I guess I don't.." Sukkubus Ooh. So it was a Rade. She had heard of them, but never had she seen one up close. Had she not a full house as it was with the faemice, Metta, Etsu, and a bundle of other little critters, she probably would offered to care for the cub. But she kept her mouth shut because of this reason. And plus, she wouldn�t want the Rade to eat her little friends.
The child listened to Io's words and nodded, giving the frightened girl a cursory glance. It was too bad she was afraid of Rade...she could have probably taken this one if the circumstances had been different. Her dark eyes slid down to gaze at the sleeping cub within the young woman's arms, and she was filled with pity. She was aware of what it was, but the feline creature looked so...cute.
When she was asleep, anyway.
Looking back into Io's face, she tilted her head. Well...I do not not...hold on.
The idea had come quickly, and she acted upon it. Turning, the girl walked towards Alania, and then looked back at the Rade. Well...why not? Pulling a hand from her sleeve, she grabbed the cabbit woman�s own and guided her closer to Io.
Will she work? she didn't mean to make it sound odd; she heard Sukku chuckle behind her. Nio Love Alania had remained behind, and listened to what of this conversation she could. Her arms were folded in a bit of a distant stance, until her arm was tugged upon and the masked girl pulled her forward.
"What.. what's wrong? What do you need?"
She looked up inquisitively to the girl's guardian, Sukkubus, before hearing that chuckle. Was something going on that she didn't hear? She narrowed her eyes, faintly annoyed at the confusion this was bringing.
Then, and only then, did she see the Rade.
The cub was strikingly similar to her own childhood form, and this fact brought a double take. She didn't say much about it, but the fact that her ears, long and purple, filled with white tuft, looked like grown up versions of the ones the sleeping cub twitched every so often.
It was creepy. Ice Queen "She says that you might be willing to take care of this cub." Io replied, standing and turning towards Alania. "We need to find homes for them, since their clan wants them dead now." She held out the cub, offering her. Nio Love Alania hadn't heard the little masked girl speak a word - she supposed the woman was interpreting her movements. Her eyes met Io's, complacent.
"Does no one else wish to take care of it? It is just a cub, after all. But I have a family.. I don't know if I can.."
Her words slowed as her eyes dropped down to the cub's, who had just started to awaken once more. A large paw dropped onto Alania's hand, and the cub looked up at her with wide, amber eyes. Eyes the same exact color as her own.
Honestly, it was creepy. Was this cub changing it's appearance to look like her, or was it just some eerie coincidence?
How was she supposed to say no?
---
The winged girl behind them watched them all with a quick gaze, flittering back and forth from one to another. She felt an opportunity was just within her grasp, if she only took it.
"Perhaps I could help?" She sputtered out suddenly, stumbling to stand. She grinned, just a little too dramatically, and walked over. "I know these parts better than anyone. I could help you take care of it!" Of course she was doing it for her own selfish intentions. But who was to know the difference?
Still, even as Alania moved to take the cub from Io's grasp, she was unsure. Ice Queen Io nodded, letting her take the cub. "So one home found... or would that be two?" She asked, glancing over at the girl with a little smile. "I'm Io, daughter of Ice, and I thank you for this commitment." She said, calmly. "But now I need to see that the other three find homes." Sukkubus The child smiled faintly from behind her mask, hands tucking within her kimono sleeves. This was good...the Rade had a home now. A better one. Her fingers itched to reach up and stroke the creature’s fur, but she withheld, settling with just looking her over. She took several steps back and cocked her head, the ornaments in her hair tinkling softly. Looking from Alania to the cat and back to Alania again made her thoughtful.
I suppose her crash landing was a good thing she said quietly, her smile reaching her eyes.
“Yeah, I suppose you're right, Etsu,” Sukku responded, although the child's words weren’t really meant to be answered. “Not everyday you can crash land on a planet a get free stuff.”
She was joking, of course.
Turning to Io, she tilted her head a bit, her eyes questioning.
Where will she stay? All of them? she asked quietly. Ice Queen Io glanced down at Etsu, shrugging. "Move her into one of the houses." She said, waving as she walked away. The cub paused, her eyes going wide. "She--she's fattening us up!" Ice choked, then smirked. "You've figured out my ploy already! Alas, I suppose the barbecue will have to wait for the next batch of cubs we bring in." "It had better!" The cub growled. "Unless it was antalope or something... I'm kinda hungry..." Ice rolled her eyes, glancing up as Io walked towards them, sans cub. "I've found a home for the first cub." Io said, earning a nod. "That makes three with homes, then." "Three?" "Yep. Meet your new housemate." Io groaned. "Of all of them, why her?" "Not a clue. But I'm going to put these two in the play room while I try to find a guardian for the boy." Ice said, taking both cubs and heading for her house. Alania Alania felt like decisions were being made for her without any say. It was unsettling, to say the least.
As Io walked away, Alania bent down so that she was eye to eye with Etsu. The cub in her arms turned to the girl, staring wide eyed. It reached out with a large paw and swiped at the mask.
Alania didn't quite understand that the girl was talking, but when Sukku replied to nothing, Alania got the hint that perhaps there was more than she was hearing. Her big ears would do nothing to help in this case. Still, Alania gave the girl a soft smile, finding her quite charming.
"You said her name was Etsu, correct Sukku?" She murmured up at the guardian, before turning her eyes back down to Etsu. "Well, little one. My name is Alania. Since you have gotten me into this, I should think you will help me as well."
The winged girl had hopped up after Io left, and her face scrunged up slightly at the idea of the masque helping out. She knew what the girl was, and knew that the Rade hated them. If she wanted to get on this Rade's good side, she might have to use that inborn hatred to her advantage..
..and to the girl's disadvantage.
Alania looked up as the other, taller girl stood by her side, and gave her a critical glance.
"You are the one who has agreed to help me. Might I ask your name?"
The girl shook her head fervently, holding a hand out. "Name's Emilie! Pleasure to meet you. All of you!" She extended the greeting to Sukku and Etsu as well. Sukkubus The child bent back slightly when the cub's paw neared her face, and her hands went up to touch the mask as if to check if it were alright. Finding that everything was in place, she tucked her hands safely back into her sleeves and bowed her head, looking at Alania through her lashes; it wouldn't do for her to look straight at her...she found that rather impolite. She smiled behind her mask as woman did, and for a moment wished she could see it.
"Yes," Sukku intoned quietly, arms folding behind her back again. Her look became softer as she glanced at the small geisha, who stood there so demurely. For just awakening, she was taking everything quite well, and in stride. The fox girl glanced at the other one - the one with wings - and tilted her head.
"Hum...now the only thing to do is to find a place for you all," she murmured quietly, looking towards the base.
Etsu nodded, her hands giving a small clap.
Oh yes! I will gladly help! Of course, she realized afterwards that she couldn�t be understood, and she frowned weakly. This was going to be difficult...
She turned her head to regard Emilie as she spoke up, glad to have a mask to hide her face. Something struck her as odd about the girl, and she couldn't help but crinkle her nose at it. But she wasn't one to prejudge so quickly, so she smothered any feelings of foreboding she harbored and inclined her head in greeting. Nio Love "Yes, I've nowhere to live myself, or else I would offer it. They destroyed everything."
She tried not to look at the cub when she spoke of the Rade in disgust, though her eyes flittered to it for a brief second.
Alania stood up once more, and the cub in her arms wiggled in discomfort.
"Why does everyone have to hold me? Let me go, let me go!"
"Something tells me if I do that, you'll run away. Then you'll be in trouble, little one.. we're just trying to take care of you."
The cub huffed slightly, though she quieted down. She couldn't remember too much of what had happened, and the woman who spoke had such a soothing voice, that even she couldn't help but listen. Besides, they had similar features. Perhaps this was.. her mother?
No, that couldn't be..
"Regardless, if there's somewhere for us to stay, at least temporarily, I'd really appreciate it." Alania spoke, directed at Sukkubus. "I don't mean to be a bother. And if there's anything I can do for you all in return.. just name it."
She knew she couldn't return to Gaia just yet - her body wouldn't be able to handle another transformation so soon. Still, she wouldn't stay here forever. She had a family to take care of, after all. Sukkubus Etsu glanced at Emilie subtly, a faint pity reaching the outer edges of her heart. No wonder the girl was the way she was - or so she thought. Even so, was a cub capable of destroying their home? She seemed to blame the race as a whole...they couldn't all be that bad, right? The geisha lowered her eyes to the ground, gaze studious.
Sukkubus avoided looking directly at Alania and instead stared intently at the cub. Her thick tail waved slowly; she was beginning to understand the reason she was - to herself - acting very strangely. It seemed selfish in her mind, and a frown crumpled her face at the thought. She just wanted company...after all, she had come all this way to sit in her mother's, and it seemed...
She had come all this way for nothing.
She shook her head and turned, arms folding behind her back stiffly as her face became stoic. "I'm...sure there's an empty room in the base. It won't be much...but..it'll suffice."
Without another word she began to walk towards it. Nio Love Alania sensed a vague change in Sukkubus' stature, but said nothing. As she turned, Alania hitched the heavy cub in her arms, and it gave her a dissonated squeak of protest before settling comfortably once more.
"Don't worry, I won't be around much. I suppose the room is more for the girl than me." She gave a quick look to Emilie, who flashed a cheery smile, before falling into step beside Sukku. Her eyes remained focused on the scenery at hand, mildly interested.
What exactly had she gotten into? The cub felt a rising urge to squirm out of Alania's arms again, but as it was she just lay limply, one paw resting on the woman's chest while the rest swung free, and her stomach rested on the woman's arm. Leaning her head to the side, she could see the two girls behind them, and her bright eyes remained on them curiously for the majority of the trip. It was pure coincidence that while doing so her stomach growled, and she announced to no on in particular, - "I'm hungry."
Emilie froze for a moment as she heard the Rade cubs plea. Was it her imagination, or was the cub eyeing her hungrily? Perhaps caring for a Rade wasn't the best idea after all..
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