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 Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:58 pm
 Today, Vash had decided, he was going to wander about until he found some nice ladies. He was properly equipped with a bottle of ketchup and had perfected the dying swoon move that was sure to capture the empathetic girl’s heart. The Typhoon was, well, lonely to put it simply. Wolfwood and Dante were wonderful buddies but they just weren’t feminine company (regardless of how drunk they got). There was always something satisfying in wooing a girl like the mysterious gunman he was. Vash never took it very far but it was fun to at least drum up some attention while he could, after all, it was a fleeting thing indeed.
Thus the red clad male was wondering about, casually strolling from place to place while listening to a CD mabobber thing he’d found in the HQ. Wonderful technology that. It was like back home. A few hours had passed since he’d set out with no sight of any females… it seemed a particularly empty day. Where was everyone? Normally he could say hello to a few kitsus at the very least.
Ah well. If moving caught you no fowl, let the fowl come to you. Or something like that. Humming along with the current song, Vash the Stampede took up his post in a large boulder perfect for sunning. As it was a beautiful day, the heat that radiated off the rock was greater then that of the surroundings and a blessing in the form of familiar heat to the desert dweller. So much better then the coldness of the snows.
With a content sigh, he lay down on the rock and dozed, one eye partially open and on the lookout for any promising ladies
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:41 pm
 Alcyone'd had a tiring week. Taking in little Kajik had seemed like a good idea when she'd found him wandering alone at the base of the Kitsusagi Mountain, but she hadn't been prepared for just how much work it was to train an apprentice. The kid was tiny, he kept her up half the night crying about his parents, and he did nothing but quaver and complain when she forced him to run laps and lift rocks.
Still, Alcyone was certain that the boy would man up if she raised him right. Alls she had to do was be persistent. It wasn't so bad to feel his tiny form cuddle up against her in the dark. No one had ever needed her like that before.
And so the femme ignored her fatigue in favor of trekking to the HQ to get the kid some milk. It was a beautiful day, so she didn't have much to complain about. Was she the kinda wuss that bitched and moaned about being tired, when a little boy was relying on her to help him be less of a midget? Oh, hells no. This was nothing compared to a session with Knives or a scrap with a 'gator.
Alcyone's path took her through forest and field. The journey itself was uneventful. Most wildlife avoided creatures as strange and exotic as she was, and whatever kitsu lived around here must be on vacation or something. Alcyone figured she'd have a whole afternoon to savor her solitude.
Little did Alcyone know that she'd just walked past the rock where Vash the Stampede was waiting to ambush unsuspecting ladies.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:53 pm
A flash of red and black, a gleaming purple and the squeak of black leather immediately drew his attention. The newcomer looked like a fighter... Not exactly what he'd been hoping for but then again, looks could be deceiving. Lifting his head, he struck a pose on the rock as he smashed the bottle of ketchup on his front and sort of slid down the rock with expert ease. Easy enough to fake an injury when you were covered in unsightly scars, right?
"Uggh... Help a body?" He called, playing at being woozy. At the very least this would prove to be an interesting meeting. When he lifted his head, some of the ketchup had smeared over his cheek, making it look like there was a gash under the fur there.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:06 pm
Alcyone had only been alive for a few months, but she'd made the most of her time. She'd bashed, smashed, and crashed her way around the Kitsusagi Realm. And though she didn't bite, as a matter of pride and honor, she'd clawed enough unfortunate beasts to know the difference between the scent of blood and the scent of vinegar and vegetables. There was no deceiving a canine sense of smell.
She stared at the flailing, faint-looking male, feeling slightly flabbergasted.
"Yer... allergic to ketchup?"
Alcyone padded over to give the guy a friendly whack in the shoulder.
"C'mon, honey. Be a man an' sort this out. There's some water in the stream a few yards from here. If you need it, I can help you over to wash that stuff off no problem."
Something about the male's spiky blonde hair and fluffy red wings nagged at her memory, but Alcyone wasn't no thinker, so she didn't dwell on it. This guy obviously had some issues.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:20 pm
"... Well phooey." Vash pouted as he sprang up and flashed a smile. "You're supposed to say 'Can I help you!?' then I go 'Yes, the only way to mend this wound is to go to dinner with me'. Oh well." It had happened before, at least she hadn't slapped him.
Ruffling wings and running a paw through his spikey hair, the blue eyed kitsu grinned, "Haven't seen you around before. What's your name?" Friendly and open... perhaps leaning towards the nimrod side, Vash set about wiping the ketchup off. "I'm Vash, it's a pleasure to meet you." He bobbed into bow then righted himself.
"Are you a warrior? You look tough." He looked her over and nodded in agreement to his own statement. Not somebody he'd want to anger, that's for sure.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:35 pm
Heh. Alcyone was well aware of what she looked like. Oh, she kept her hair long and all, but males never noticed that. If he wasn't a freak, then she was one of the guys. There wasn't anything to be done about it.
At least this one wasn't running in terror on account of the horns and the spines and the scale-feathers. She-
Wait, wait, wait. Wait one damn minute.
"Whoa, there! You're Vash the Stampede?"
Alcyone's porcelain mask grinned down at Vash, and she let out a swift, barking laugh.
"This is great! I've heard so much about you!!! Aw, honey, get that crap offa you. Yer comin' with me to the HQ fer a drink."
She treated Vash to a friendly slap on the back, holding back as much of her strength as she could. A normal slap from Alcyone was powerful enough to knock him clear off the boulder and into the tree-line.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:46 pm
Vash froze, eyes narrowing slightly, either in alarm or in defense, it was hard to tell. "Wha...? You have? Like what? You might have me confused with someone else...." It was never a good sign when someone recognized his name... Made him wonder if they were suddenly trying to capture him for his bounty again.
Fidgeting, he avoided that slap with ease and started edging towards the forest. This wasn't what he'd had planned.... not at all. But, at least if push came to shove, he could hold his own against most everyone. "I'm not particularly thirsty, thanks..." Just a little further....
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:58 pm
Grrrr... so this was what it came down to when she tried to be friendly, hunh? The boys didn't like a lady who wasn't a flouncy little princess. Especially when she had all kindsa freaky s**t sticking outta her body.
Whatever. Alcyone might not have the looks of a delicate damsel, but she sure as hell had her pride.
"Oh, I get it, got a good look at the freak and now yer set to shove off," Alcyone drawled. She did not sound impressed. Her ears were pinned back against her skill, and her tails whipped ominously back and forth.
"Yer brother said you were misguided, but I didn't figure any relative of Knives would pull that kinda bullshit. I guess since you can pass fer as ordinary prettyboy kitsu now, you get to be as much as a jackass as anyone else."
They looked the same. Even smelled the same, sort of. But this nervous, foolish guy couldn't possibly measure up to Lord Knives.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:16 pm
Again, Vash froze. "What? You... aren't out to capture me?" He seemed rather surprised by that and started forward, "I don't care what you look li- Knives?" His tone turned deadly serious at that and his mannerisms altered completely. From loose and goofy to that of a disciplined fighter, aware and... befitting of the name Devil in a Red Coat.
"Knives...? Where did you see him? He's here?" There was a shiver up his spine at her words. This wasn't good... Knives...? Here? "I'm misguided? What are you talking about? I... How do you know him?" Had he warped another person into viewing the world as one vast enemy? He hoped not. Well and truly hoped not.
Vash was now standing before her, not a trace of worry or search of escape. Whenever Knives was mentioned he always stiffened up, grew tense. And yet... yet there was a gleaming hope in his eyes. Had Knives gone back to normal? As he'd been when they'd been children?
A scoff at the last comment. "A prettyboy? Hardly. Now, where'd you see Knives?" It was strange, how the two acted so similarly and yet came from entirely different platforms.
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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:53 am
So the goof meant business, hunh? Alcyone sunk back on her hind paws, tensed to spring if necessary. She wasn't looking for a dust-up, but she knew first-hand what Knives was capable of, and she wasn't gonna let any chump male get the drop on her.
Funny, how this guy could snap from cheerful to cold in a half-second. Knives said some crazy s**t, but at least he was consistent. Alcyone was thrown off by the way the two smelled so similar.
"Yer talkin' pretty serious. But you gotta know that Sir Knives is a very kind person! Sure, he's got his ramblin' on about stuff, but he doesn't do nothing. He helped me out when no one else would give a chick like me a second look."
He'd taught her- not everything she knew about fighting, but a damn good chunk of it.
"Look, honey, I got sisters. An' I think fightin' amongst family is pretty dumb." The fighter rolled her shoulders. "But far be it fer me t'tell you to shape up."
She flicked her ears up, taking in the lush sounds of the forest, and the scuffing of Vash's paws against the earth. Sharp kitsusagi ears made up for the way her mask limited her field of vision. She didn't know the whole story about Knives and Vash, but she knew enough to understand that they weren't always allies, though she could tell that Knives still loved his brother.
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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:41 pm
"He... kind?" Vash was confused. Very confused. Had Knives realized his errors? Ear perked hopefully and he took another step forward, "Are you sure you've got the right person...? Could you show me?" Ever optimistic and more then a little gullible, Vash's hopes were slowly mounting. Could he and his twin simply exist? Without the strife and hardship?
"There's other ways to solve things then fighting. I... I don't want to fight." Hope shone in his eyes and a tentative smile curled the edges of his mouth up. He knew it. Just keep trying and the other would see things differently. They could go back to before.
Funny how the hint of something so important stripped away the goof and the fighter to leave simply Vash. "What's your name? Please tell me where Knives is..."
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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:21 pm
Alcyone had to laugh. Vash looked like a dog sniffin' around for prime scraps. Knives would never make that face, yet his twin resembled him enough Alcy could pretend that it was him anyway.
"Y'say that, but fightin's so much fun. Nothin' better than a test of skills!" Alcy enthused. "And sometimes you gotta fight t'get things done. It's a dangerous world out there Jus' the other day I found a fresh hatched kit, all wanderin' by himself on account of his parents up an' left 'im."
Alcyone didn't subscribe to Knives' ideas about killing everyone who offended him, but there were a whole lotta people who could use a smack in the head to sort 'em out. Like deadbeat parents. Grrrr.
And she was certain that Knives didn't really mean to slaughter people. He was merely frustrated over injustice. And he liked to hear himself talk. Alcy found it sorta amusing.
"I'm Alcyone. Knives is 'round and about the deep forest, over by the lagoon. A few miles from the Fierra Place, if y'know it."
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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:41 pm
Vash shook his head, "Conflict is never fun... fighting is useless and only begets more suffering. If people just slow down and talk, it would be easier to work things out without violence." He believed so very strongly in this and the scars that criss crossed his body detailed that devotion to his ideals. "If it's dangerous it means something's gone wrong. Back off and try again... keep trying until they accept you. They're no different then you or I." He seemed to speak from experience, this sentient Plant. And that was where they differed in opinion, where they always differed. Equality versus superiority. Settlement versus revenge.
Like two sides of the same coin.
Shaking his head as the other's words brought him out of his reverie, Vash tilted his head to the side, "An Orphan? It's good you took him in, then." He smiled softly.
"Fierra Place? I don't know it..." He pursed his lips and looked about, wondering if he should just wander. He and Knives could generally tell when the other was near, after all. Out of habit, he adjusted his glasses, pushing them further up his muzzle and grinned at her, "Thank-you very much, m'lady. I appreciate the information... would you mind my thanking you over dinner?" He seemed to have done a 180 in attitude and peered at her curiously, a charming smile upon his face.
Might as well thank this bearer of good news, right?
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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:02 pm
Now Alcy was laughing again. It was a strange, hollow sound, coming as it did from beneath a layer of bona china, and it might have disturbed a more cowardly male. Kajik never failed to jump when she started chuckling.
"Pretty words, prettyboy. Yer a real piece of work."
Her gold eyes sparkled. She didn't sound like she was trying to be offensive.
"We're carnivores. Or at least half, right? You gotta fight if you wanna eat."
Hah! Some of the transplants into their world were so funny. They lived in the wilderness. Of course they had to fight, and hunt, and struggle to survive. That was the law of the wild. Alcyone wouldn't have it any other way.
It was no wonder that Knives thought his brother was misguided. The guy didn't seem too bad, though.
"But if you can get me dinner all peaceful, I won't turn a free meal down."
She'd work out how to eat without being seen with her mask off.
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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:18 pm
He laughed at that, having seen and heard things far more chilling, "So I've been told~" Again, Vash shook his head and looked at her with a serious gaze, "Hunting food is different then striking down your fellow being, though. Everything has a right to live, to exist and co-exist. You wouldn't steal a starving man's meal or kill in cold blood for offending your sense of superiority would you? There's always a choice." He winked then and started back towards the HQ.
"I can do that~" Walking tall and with a rather large smile upon his face, the Humanoid Typhoon lead the way to the HQ. "Do you like donuts?" He asked after a short distance, glancing over at her. Vash seemed inclined to walk beside rather then in front or behind. Another suggestion of equality for the Plant turned kitsu.
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