|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:49 pm
Who: Caim and Zell
What: Caim just got here and uh... 8D; he's not happy...
When: Sat. Oct 27th, early afternoon
Where: Somewhere on Mountain near one of the main paths to the cabin
Why: 'Cause I wanted to! >o And Caim could use a friendly first encounter.
After a long night of stumbling through the woods, tripping over tree roots, and getting facefuls of prickly bushes Caim had stopped for a rest when he finally stumbled across a creek. Later on the sun had risen and he'd tried again, managing to avoid the earlier pitfalls.
Not that it seemed to be doing him much good. Where ever this was... it was definitely nowhere he'd been before. He'd been hoping that maybe... what? The world had ended and been reborn and everyone had been turned into small furry animals? Hah. No matter what he'd been hoping for, his continued inability to sense where Angelus was or even find any sign of anything more than wildlife was adding to his growing unease. Not to mention he was furry. He didn't even know WHAT he was now...
The sun rose to its zenith about the time he found a path. A real path, not just a game trail. It was wide enough for several people to walk abreast, and by this point he was tired, hungry, and... he'd never admit it, but frightened enough to turn and follow it without question. One direction or the other it would have to lead somewhere, and it indicated civilization of some sort.
At least he was able to walk fairly easily by now... though his severe agitation showed in his posture and indeed his every step. His head hung low, ears flat against his skull and teeth bared like an angry caged tiger. Practically every strand of fur was on end, aside from his hair, and that was probably only due to its length. Even the short claws on his pawed feet gouged the earth beneath them as well as they were able when he moved them forward to take another step. No... he probably wasn't the best of people to try and socialize with right this moment.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:39 pm
 It was odd. Ever since Ed & Lily had returned after their clock hands had swung to mortal peril, Zell Dincht had found his daily jaunts into the world to actually be set with a purpose. Liliana had confided in him nearly everything the only training session she'd made afterward. Before pretty much disappearing with Edward for a while. The fistfighter (pawfighter?) didn't think much on that however, other than being happy for them. It would not dawn on him that perhaps he might be lonely himself. But seriously... Zell didn't think about it.
No what he was thinking about was Kitsyn. How his 'family' owed her something they could never repay. How awesome a friend she was. How she deserved not to be lonely. It had been a while now but now and again Zell remembered with clarity -as he went over and finally made as much sense as he could of it- how she was lonesome... and hoping for someone in particular she had seen coming 'through the ether' or whatever. Zell intended to find him. This Caim.
Of course, looking for him didn't mean he was going to find him. Zell hadn't yet and it didn't pull him down. It was kind of nice having a purpose for going someplace. Better than aimless wondering. Like having a quest. Kinda cool. And there were other things to do while he looked, so it didn't bother him -Zell- at all.
Today he decided to head towards the Mountain. Hadn't been there in a while. Might be fun. And other kitsu tended to congregate there. Like that Chrysanthemum that had wondered to their house somehow one day. Hemi had apparated her back. Seemed her father couldn't leave the Mountain HQ. Such a shame... never seeing the wide world & all...
Trot. Trot. Pause. Throw a few punches. Trot. Trot. Random backflip. Trot. Trot. Trot.... bounce. Joy! There was someone else ahead! See! It was a good idea to come to the Mountain. Get to meet someone knew. Pause... Duuude. Guy looks like a super moody combination of Squall, Seifer and Myr.... Blue eyes widened as the SeeD kitsu did a double take. No way!
Zell studied the unknown male even as he quickened his step while shouting out a cheerful "Yo!! Wha's up?" What was it Kitsyn had said about the guy? "He wears armor over a grey-blue shirt and has dark hair and blue eyes..." Well Zell couldn't see they kitsu's eyes from behind now could he? But the rest seemed to match up. "and when you see him it's like looking at a walking storm cloud more often than not. He's the broody sort." Heh... that sure seems to fit. Zell was recalling while the distance between them. No... there's more... "Also... Caim's mute. Or he should be." Dammit... that's gunna be helluva pain if this guy IS that guy. Hyne he looks poofy with his fur out like that. *giggle* like a pincushion. Better be ready for a fight, just in case. Sword? NP. Could use a spar with another fighting kitsu. Beneath the almost playful mental babble Zell's mind picked up with a fighter's instinct the other kitsu's movements, making plans for likely attacks and the best defensive moves, how this kitsu most likely would move & other things of a more serious battle-ready nature. But it was all automatic. Zell didn't want a fight, but to make a new friend. whether this was Caim or not. Meanwhile the smile on eyes and face never wavered -remaining true and warm and welcoming. A laugh boosted his smile as Zell remembered his synopsis of the one he was seeking (while really hoping this might be him). "So he's a quiet, broody, homicidal stormy Squall who's bound to a dragon & is in a really bad mood beyond which I can't possibly imagine" Hyne... better be ready for anything, huh?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:05 pm
Caim paused at the voice, though he didn't turn around. He understood the words... but... What's up? What was always up? Sky... tree branches... And what the hell was "Yo"? He forced his lips back down over his teeth and glanced warily over his shoulder, wondering if this was some sort of odd greeting...
And the fact that he was faced wtih another furry person like himself, combined with the fact that he'd seemingly forgotten about his situation for a moment because he was brooding so much over Angelus and his own level of frustration hit him like a brick wall. This all seemed so utterly rediculous.
One aqua tinted blue eye peered back at Zell as he approached, the gaze perhaps not so subtly measuring the hand-to-hand combatant in the same way he was being measured. His posture was still stiff; the only real concession toward geniality he seemed able to force on himself was to stop snarling at the world. This fellow seemed friendly... no matter the bizarre way he spoke... but after a lifetime spent at war, Caim was far from the trusting type. He'd try to be... civil, though. For now. He just wished whoever this guy was that he wasn't so... bouncy. Caim was anything but in a bouncy mood.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:22 pm
Unfortunately for Caim... this particular kitsu was nearly always this bouncy. Or worse. Zell was actually partially controlled bounce right now. Partially. Which still meant he had far too much energy & happiness for the average kitsu. Which meant an overload for the brooding sorts.
Poor Caim.
The SeeD quirked a brow at the response, perhaps surprised at the other's reaction. Or lack of one. That's right. Grains of pepper. No -SALT. Grain of salt. Seems like the guy... really does... but can't chance being wrong. Would so suck if presuming he's somebody he's not then have everything all wrong. Just keep it in the back of your mind, Zell. WAaaay back.
His own thoughts seemed to pause. But he's not spoken yet... O_O Doesn't mean he can't though. Squall wouldn't've said anythin' either. So other than a second he didn't seem phased by the lack of return greeting or answer to his question. Blue flame tipped tails wagged energetically behind the hyper kitsu. "Ya headin' to the Mountain HQ up there? I was kinda goin' there myself if ya'd like to tag together for a while. Name's Zell. Zell Dincht. Ya got a name, dude?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:50 pm
Perhaps the most disconcerting thing about Zell for Caim was the fact that he was so happy. He couldn't remember ever seeing someone so lighthearted... Even Seere in all the energeticness of youth had never been so bouncy as this, and Seere alone had caught Caim more than off-guard. But then the last time he'd really been around a child before that had been when he and Furiae were still children.
There was a look, brief, but contemplative. And then it was gone. Caim just barely quirked a brow. And then the other was speaking again, and... wagging his tails. It was so very strange to be interacting with some fluffy animal... Nevermind the slightly hypocritical nature of that sentiment considering he thought nothing of conversing with a dragon. Then again, a dragon was a dragon, and not some small furry... thing.
Heading to... HQ... a headquarters? That word always meant a command center, a place for planning battles and the like... or it always had. He grimaced slightly. No more war... maybe he'd never get over his addiction to battle but he was sick of war. Of the innocent getting hurt. He managed to follow what Zell was meaning, at least, up until that last word. Dude? ...Well obviously the blonde... Zell?... was referring to Caim with that word. Some sort of generic categorization?
Now, though, he'd been given a name and courtesy would require he give his own in return. Problem being he couldn't speak. The corner of his mouth twitched, though whether it was from an attempt to grin or from an urge to snarl was impossible to determine even by those quick enough to catch the action. To answer the question he simply nodded once and waited for the inevitable questions about why he didn't say anything...
Damn. More the fool I am. Did I think this was going to be EASY? It had always been this... after Angelus had gone. It was why he'd avoided people and disappeared after war was over. Well... part of it, anyway. He resisted both the urge to growl and to lash out and hit something. Why couldn't things be... less difficult for once?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:06 pm
The blonde SeeD caught the twitch of the other male's mouth from the corner of his eye. For some strange reason it made him grin. Found it funny somehow. Then a sympathetic look, still cheerful. He tilted his head. "Can't speak? Duuude. Tough luck, that. Gal I train, her older brother's a mute. All out. Can barely growl I think. Can ya write? 'cause they've got paper up at the cabin."
Pause. Big huge grin. Bright blue eyes opened wide & then beamed with happiness in himself. A sort of surprised pride. "Oh yea! Booya!! I've got paper!"
With a gloved paw he reached into a pocket inside his SeeD jacket and pulled out a pad of plain white paper and a partially gnawed plain wooden graphite pencil with only half an eraser left. Like he was handing over the coolest thing in the world -or the idea that he had them was the coolest thing in the world. at that moment- Zell pushed them along the ground to the swordwielder. "I sure hope ya can write. Better to know a guy's name, dontcha think?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:29 pm
Caim's eyes widened slightly at the blonde's response, and he nodded to confirm that he could not speak. There was just the barest bleeding of tension, and perhaps a little more when Zell asked if he could write. Literacy wasn't common where he was from... was that different here? Somehow the thought made him feel marginally more comfortable, and he nodded again.
But, though he knew paper - it was rather rare in his experience, only available to large religious organizations and the wealthy - the pencil made him stare in blank incomprehension. Even the set up of the pad of paper made him stare, and it took several moments of examination before he finally picked up the pencil. He tried the eraser first, wondering if it did anything, but when nothing happened he tried the other side. There. That marked the paper. Curious, he tried the eraser again and dropped the pencil in startlement when the marks came back off.
He was utterly fascinated and probably would have kept at it for a few minutes, but he realized how idiotic he must look to this Zell person who must already know the wonders of this writing stick... Quickly correcting his "childish" behavior he arranged the pencil between his toes and wrote his name on the page. He took a bit longer than he normally would have on it; it was akward to write with a paw when you were used to a hand after all. When he was finished he set the pencil on the pad and nudged it back.
I am Caim.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:53 pm
Oh Hyne! Zell made funny faces as he watched the other kitsu react to the paper and pencil. Really... he should have thought about it in advance. Hadn't Kitsyn said something about the guy being a prince? Well, son of a king anyway, which made him a prince. The only other true royalty Zell knew was the princess the moomba-anthro-him was in love with. Of course that was a whole other kettle of fish. Not that it helped him... not being prepared for this now. Then of course he was trying not to assume this was the guy he was looking for. Which in itself was hard.
So he was making faces while trying not to laugh out loud. Which was hard, especially at the poor kitsu's introduction to the wonders of the all powerful eraser -one of the hyper-spazz's best written test taking pals. It removed his doodles from the edges of his forms. Of course his attempts not to laugh were no longer as in need when the other actually set in to writing, Zell's face falling back to a bit more than his usual grin but with a serious & watchful expression. To how the kitsu held and used the pencil. Zell remembered. Relearning things with paws that were second nature with hands. His eyes softened again in sympathy.
And then he flipped over backward with a resounding "Booya!" after reading the paper. It's him it's him it's him!!! Then, realizing in a moment of panic that his actions might not be the best Zell stopped midway through a jump into the air with his right paw raised in a sharp uppercut to look sheepishly at Caim before landing on his paws again -a trifle more subdued. Only a trifle though. Oh Hyne... he needed a cover for that. "Uh... little over excited about being able to read your name... Caim? Did I pronounce that right? Anyway... sometimes us clothed ones know different languages and things. Had me worried there I wouldn't know yours, dig?"
Zell gave a boyish grin. "But you... you're more than new 'round here, aren't you. Saw you with the pencil... you remember hands dontcha?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:21 am
Caim didn't have to look up to know that Zell was giving him funny looks. Though he was at least feeling calmer now... interacting with a person, however furry, and doing something normal like writing, however akward... it told him that where ever he was, at least it wasn't as totally foreign to what he knew as he'd feared. But though his fur had finally settled, he was still agitated, which his tails seemed intent on displaying with their stiff twitching whether he wanted them to or not. He still had no idea where he was, what he was, or how he'd gotten here. And he still had no idea where Angelus was.
He was still looking curiously at the pencil when Zell so suddenly and loudly announced his excitement at reading Caim's name. His fur bristled again and without even thinking about it he slipped into a defensive posture, though he berated himself immediately after Zell's sheepish look. He forced himself to sit down again, not quite shaking from the scare the energetic blonde had given him, and nodded a bit sharply when asked if his name had been pronounced correctly.
He had to admit though that he had a point about the possible language barriers. If there were really such a variation of people here that it had been mentioned, it was possible that even though Caim understood the spoken language that the written one might have been different. It was probably some sort of miracle that they could communicate as well as they were...
It took him a moment to roll over Zell's last statement-turned-question. To sort out the blonde's accent and the peculiarities of rythym in the speech. When he figured out what Zell meant by remembering hands, though, his jaw dropped. Oddly he felt an urge to cry, whether from relief or despair he wasn't sure, but he squelched it. Harshly. He grabbed the paper and pencil back.
So I'm NOT the only one?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:55 pm
Zell had to grin at the other's defensive posture -so clearly automatic. He was a goof, but trained as he was, wanting to follow in his grandfather's footprints as he had been, Zell appreciated a good warrior. And Caim was clearly that. The SeeD decided there & then he would love to meet the guy on the sparring field, but never on the battlefield.
The SeeD grinned reading the question then lifting his bright blue eyes to the more sedate blue of Caim's before answering. "The only one to find himself suddenly thumbless & furry, not to mention in a strange land? Nope. Not the only one at all. There's a bunch of us. Live with quite a few others myself & know more. Some get born here, grow up in their new bodies. Others -like me & you I figure- find ourselves here more suddenly: human or whatever one thought, kitsu the next. Place seems to call us in a way or something. It's damn confusing and no one seems to understand the complexities of it all the way though there's theories & stuff."
Confusing, but Zell had an easy-going attitude about it all apparently even shrugging his shoulders as if it was not a big deal. There was a seriousness to his bright and merry blue eyes however that managed an odd contrast.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:39 pm
Caim was watching Zell carefully after letting his guard drop for that few moments before; this was also instinct, or habit, more than anything else. Watching as he was he caught the grin Zell gave at his defensive posture, and in that way that warriors have of knowing another warrior's thoughts Caim understood the meaning behind it. He honestly relaxed a little then, a smirk slowly drifting onto his maw. It wasn't a smile, no... seeing Caim actually smile happened about as often as stumbling across a bag of diamonds lying in the road. But it was a step in the right direction. And a bit of a promise that Zell might just get that spar sometime later.
As Zell began his explanation the smirk faded into a mild frown and Caim closed his eyes while he listened. Many people wound up here? And no one really knew why... probably not how, either. Theories... he supposed he'd have to look into that later. If there were no true answers to be found he'd just have to make due. Angelus, though... he'd have to find Angelus. For all he knew she might have some idea of what this place was. Dragons knew more of the gods' secrets than mortal creatures.
Though in the end he wasn't sure if it mattered what he found out. He'd been dead. The only way the dead walked the earth again on his world was if they were summoned back as the undead, and then they had no will of their own... Where ever this was, whatever had happened, it was better than being used like that.
He couldn't sense where Angelus was... but he knew she was here somewhere. That was a start. But a start to what? He had no idea what to do with himself... just like the last time he'd stepped out of war and into peacetime.
A grumble from his stomach yanked him out of his circling thoughts and he slowly tilted his head down to look at it. For some reason the fact that it was in pretty much the same spot it had been before was more relieving to him than anything else that had happened so far. Paws, tails, a muzzle, and fur. Nothing else really seemed all that different...
He reached over to grab up the pencil again and scrawled one single word, a bit more lazy with his script this time than he had been previously. Food? If he'd realized how expressive his body language was at the moment he'd have tensed up again, but for the moment at least he practically radiated a need to relax and not have to be trying to wrap his head around, well, everything. For a little while at least.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:33 pm
Zell would have something to say about being dead and being here again -once Liliana had slipped about her now mate remembering having died 'before' one time when they were resting during training back when they first started. But why would he think that Caim had died? That had not been something Kitsyn had mentioned.
What? Food? O_O Instantly Zell was rummaging in his pockets. "Aw... c'mon... I coulnd't have eaten them all! Ah!! There's one!!" With triumphant grin the SeeD withdrew a wrapped chocolate bar & held it up before offering it to Caim. "Here! Have this! Should tide ya over til we get up to the cabin here. There's a kitchen inside. Don't check it out much, but I'm sure there's food there. And if not.. well I can call Ginny! She'll know what to do about getting ya something to eat! C'mon!" With a wag of his blue flame tipped blonde tails Zell bounded up the path.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:54 pm
Caim looked rather quizzically at the candy bar as he took it, prodding at the wrapper and giving it a sniff. Not that he was unfamiliar with food being wrapped up to keep it fresh and to keep bugs and animals out of it, but whatever this was wrapped in was rather odd. He noticed the joint in the wrapper and pulled at it experimentally, seeing that it tore with a little effort and seemed to be held together with some sort of sticky substance. Hmm...
He hobbled along akwardly after Zell on three paws, too busy examining the candy bar and wrapper to really think about how difficult it was. Not that he'd likely have complained anyway. He wasn't one for showing weakness, and he'd been injured and unable to use a limb temporarily more than once before. Subconsciously it probably seemed like something he ought to know.
He sniffed at the chocolate bar, trying to figure out why it smelled familiar and strange at the same time. He'd had chocolate before, it was difficult to come by but it was good for an occasional treat and it boosted the moral of his men. But the chocolate he'd had wasn't the type generally found in candy bars. It was a lot more bitter and without the milk. The taste was different enough it took him a few bites to realize what it was, but it put an amused smirk on his face. Chocolate at least didn't hold any bad memories for him.
He'd finished it by the time they reached the cabin and he eyed it warily. Wandering in the woods was one thing; aside from variations in trees and wildlife all woodlands essentially functioned the same way. Buildings constituted an entirely unknown territory; he and his men had been ambushed several times over the coarse of the war when entering a place that was supposed to be friendly territory and turned out to be the opposite. He'd seen no signs of war; the air didn't have that tense feeling to it that he usually associated with wartime either. He had no reason to suspect anything and yet... his instincts were honed to survival in a time when battle could break out between the time you went to relieve yourself at the privy and the time you got back. Peace... was a difficult thing for him to grasp.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:36 pm
Bright blue eyes flicked to check on Caim from time to time as they walked. yup. Fighter. Likely a stubborn mule of one too. Not complaining like he could complain, not speaking & stuff. Zell chuckled at his own thoughts, shaking his spikey blonde head. It was fun watching the swordsman with the candy bar. The SeeD was not accustomed to the idea of someone not knowing what a candy bar was. It was like a novelty, and Zell grinned to see Caim enjoying it.
Another flick of his eyes caught the look Caim gave the cabin. Now Zell did not have personal experience with ambushes though the concept was not foreign to him. Still, he thought, it would be less of a shock to the guy bringing him here were he would likely only meet other kitsusagi than offering to take him home or even to the Fierra Place. Of course both would be equally suspect of danger as HQ to someone clearly used to wartime thinking... poor guy.
So Zell's laughing eyes flicked with sympathy. What could he say? "C'mon. I'll head in first. Sometimes there's more of us around than others. Even though some kitsusagi live here it's not uncommon to drop by and not meet another. Same at Realm HQ. Not so at my place, or my friends' place... can get pretty hectic there."
As he spoke Zell padded inside, nearly containing most of his hyper bounce though the energy still seemed to radiate from him in an almost palpable manner. With a friendly grin he headed towards the kitchen. Still talking. Well Caim certainly couldn't! Zell had to fill the gap, right? "Dunno who stocks the kitchen here but we should find something even if just apples and bread. I'm not the best cook but Ma managed to teach me a little an' Ginny's been letting me help sometimes like Ma used to so I've nearly got the hang of making some things with paws instead of hands." As he entered the kitchen and stuck his head & shoulders into a tall white box that let out a wave of cold air as he opened it his voice became a bit muffled while echoing slightly at the same time. "Booyah! there's some apples in the crisper..." the sound of a drawer moving. "And cheese... bread'll probably be on the counter... do you want a grab it and go strait out of the 'fridge kind of meal or like, the real deal? 'cause if you want the real deal I'll prob'bly have to call Ginny to come up with something these things can go into."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:04 pm
Caim gave Zell a startled but quickly guarded look when he volunteered to go first. Was he being so obvious? He'd never really thought about it much but it was a pet peeve of his when people could read what he was feeling in spite of how well he thought he was covering it up. He frowned slightly and nodded, slowly following Zell inside when he started to move.
Caim checked around every corner as he went. He simply couldn't bring himself to refrain. Even in his own home he'd started doing that, so long ago; then again back then he'd been a prime target for kidnapping or assassination. It was something he doubted he'd ever actually stop doing, though once he felt more comfortable here he'd probably be a lot less obvious about it.
As Zell approached the fridge he assumed it was some sort of pantry; though he didn't understand why it wasn't wooden, and why it was separate from the rest of the cabinets and what looked to be another pantry on the far wall. Then the door was opened and the cold air hit him. For a moment he stiffened in shock, and then when nothing untoward happened, he padded forward to examine it more closely.
He really wasn't listening so much to what Zell was saying by this point, poking his wide-eyed face around the open edge of the fridge next to Zell's shoulder and staring inside. He saw a jug of milk, realized it must be milk, but he had no idea what the container was made out of. He stuck a paw in to test the surface and felt how chilled it was. Startled yet again he didn't quite jump back and put his paw down on the ground, immediately picking it back up and staring downward at the bottom of the fridge where warm air was blowing out. With brow furrowed he kneeled down to prod at the grill the air was blowing through with a claw. What sorcery was this?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
