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 Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:59 pm
 Malzieu hovered between patches of deep blue mountain flowers, wings fluttering at such a pace they created an amber haze upon his shoulders. He nibbled at the colorful plants without landing, the dusty-sweet pollen mixing with the fragrant, soft petals. Not a short time ago, an outsider would have been surprised to see that such things were possible in plenty on the often rocky and supposedly mineral starved areas of the Kitsusagi Mountain. However, the atmosphere has changed -- the feeling was sensed in a soft touch in the back of Mal's brain, but the real sign was in the flowers.
They were... normal. It was more as to what the proverbial outsider would expect. Many patches died or regressed or held smaller flowers. Certainly no less beautiful to the pixie, though certainly lacking in something more than physical appearance. Unable to discern the exact change himself for days, he now wondered if his better half knew anything of the shift.
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:08 pm
 Genivieve was equally aware of the change, her leaf green eyes narrowing even as she fluffed from flower to flower. She didn't know what it was... something in the air, something that sank into the plants and made them... dull. It couldn't be from the sun filtering through the mountain clouds or the soft rain that had fallen just yesterday; those were normal parts of life for both the plants and the pixie. So... what could it be?
Her mood instantly brightened, however, when she spotted a familiar brown form, one with multi-colored tails that beckoned her closer to the surrounding blue flowers until she pounched, batting at his antennae playfully as she cooed, "Malzieu~"
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:19 pm
Lost somewhere between his thoughts and the impending sneeze that had decided to lodge itself within his nose, Mal was caught completely unawares by his sprightly mate. It was a thankfully soft landing in the flowerbed, though he expected no less from Geni, knowing her cleverness. He chuckled as his antenna tickled with the sensation of being not-so-viciously attacked.
"Ma Geni~ you are always able to best me so easily!" Of course, it was at that sweet moment that the impending sneeze decided it make itself known, though Mal was at least able to get his paw across his nose in time.
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:30 pm
Genivieve instinctively jerked her head away from her love's sneeze, a smile crossing her face as a brown paw daintly covered Malzieu's nose. Everything he did was adoreable. Even his sneezes were adoreable. Not that she could let him get away with that.
"MAL, HOW COULD YOU SNEEZE IN THE PRESENCE OF A LADY?" Bringing her purple wings sharply up in a gesure of faux exasperation, she pressed him further into the flowers before leaning to nuzzle at his forehead. "All this time trying to civilize you, wasted!"
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:43 pm
Why now, of all times? Curse bodily functions and their poor sense of timing! Geni was looking down at him, quite upset now -- yet he had, in their time together, learned to see the soft twinkle in her eye that meant she may not kill him. It was a loving charity, he thought, though the nuzzle was far more promising for his continued existance.
"I'm so sorry, Geni!" Malzieu pleaded, his words mixed with earnestness and affection, "It was all of the pollen. I have tried to learn from you, but it is difficult to emulate such a paragon." He gave her a soft smile, not being able to help himself.
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:54 pm
"You're lucky you're such a charming sort, mon cheri, and with such good looks, or I'd have nothing to do with you!" Even now, after having four children and watching them as they grew, Malzieu always made Genivieve fill young, full of life and energy... but most importantly love.
Though, something he said made her cease her affectionate touches, her tone becoming puzzled instead of playful, "But... pollen has never made you sneeze before. It's never really done much of anything, except turn us yellow. Why would you start being affected by it now?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:08 pm
That was a very good question.
Thinking about the situation now, Geni was correct. The pollen had never made him sneeze before -- something he surely would have noticed, as it was one of their primary food sources. It was another curious feeling to add on top of everything else, save this one came out of his nose.
"I... don't know." Malzieu set his wings to a light flutter, moving himself out from under his pastel mate and onto his own paws. He peered down at a blue flower curiously and pawed at it, as if now, under the close scrutiny, it would give up its secrets. "It seems the flowers are changing in other ways as well. Something feels amiss, Geni, like something has leaked away. Did you find it so?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:23 pm
Genivieve nodded, her antennae curling behind her ears even as she padded through the grass to examine another patch of the flowers. "I was hoping it was only me... but I do feel like something has changed. Something big."
The pastel pixie was not the type to back down from a challenge, and she released her frustration by pawing gently at the earth with a green foot. "Mal... what are we going to do about it?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:42 pm
The brown pixie's face fell as she stated her shared bewilderment at the new situation. If his dear Genivieve did not know, then things all at once seemed more menacing. Perhaps it even had something to do with the elusive mountain gods? However, discovering that on its own would be as difficult as this mystery, as he knew of no kitsu who had actually met the duo. He tried to pick out an answer or suggestion, antenna twitching with thought.
"I don't know," Mal stated at last, exasperated. He liked it when she had the answers, able to guide him in the right direction. "I would hate to think we would have to move again. This mountain was the perfect home." Turning and padding over to his mate, he offered her some support by laying his head across her withers.
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:07 pm
Genivieve's eyes immediatly softened at Malzieu's offered affection, her purple and green tails moving to gently brush against him. She hadn't even thought of moving again - though she had not been born on the mounain, the most signficant parts of her life had occured since her migration. Her courtship with Malzieu, their decision to become lifemates... the birth and growth of her children.
But she couldn't deny that her home had changed, perhaps permanently, and if there was a better place, a more comfortable place... that was where she and her mate should be. She sighed in an uncharacterisic sign of unease; she hated not knowing what to do. Shivering against a pick up in the wind, she yipped, "Come on, Mal. It's getting a little cold..."
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:24 pm
Malzieu blinked at Genivieve's observation, lifting his head from its soft rest and into the nippy breeze she spoke of. The soft comforts had kept his mind off of the growing wind, but now he realized it quite consciously. Quickly, he nestled against her to cut the bite against them both -- they had soon become accustomed to the winds after relocating, yet, again, something was off now, even in the wind. Nodding, he agreed that shelter would be a good idea. The entire patch of flowers was now bending in waves, flashing bits of different colors all around.
"Maybe all of this is just a phase," Mal noted, padding away from the wind and towards a stable, rocky outcrop. The pixie knew better than to trust his small wings in a growing storm. "It might go away in another week... or so."
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:45 pm
"A week? Or a month? A year? Never? Malzieu, we can't wait around to see what'll happen! We... can't go on like this." Genivieve pressed closer to her mate, both to offer him some warmth in return and to accentuate her words. She couldn't stay in this substandard environment - not for her own sake, but for the sake of her family. Her perfect mate... her four beautiful offspring. They deserved nothing less than the best environment possible!
Her fur and wings puffed in response to her internal thoughts, but this was a mistake that she had no chance to correct as a gust of wind hit the delicate membrane, and her immediate reaction was one of panic as she was swept up, "Malzieu!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:05 pm
The warmth that had begun to form in the brown pixie's chest from Genivieve's solidifying stance on the matter dissipated in an instant. Rather than being able to turn and agree with his mate, he instead saw her zoom by, taken up in the growing storm. He was momentarily confused -- stunned -- until her voice sliced through the haze.
"Genivieve!" Before the name even left his mouth, Malzieu was airborn. He hadn't entirely intended it, but his feet and wings were working faster than his mind. Once airborn, all he knew to do was reach her. Nature, as she often does, had other plans, sending a spiraling gust to have him overshoot the target. His purple bangs waved wildly in and out of his view, but he was certain to keep an eye on the bit of yellow pastel.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:04 pm
Genivieve reacted in her normal manner when she saw her beloved leap into danger - defensively. Her green eyes narrowed behind the violet bangs, her tails fluffed to double in size, and her wings immediatly struggled to regain control from the powerful gusts that swept her and Malzieu apart.
Of course, she had no control over the elements, and eventually she called out towards her mate, hoping he could hear her over the rushing air, "Try to land whenever it's safe!"
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:14 pm
Gentle membrane wings quivered like paper as he kept them out and straight, acting as rudders of sorts. Malzieu gulped with nervousness -- he would not call it fear. To fear would be acknowledging that there was something to fear. (Perhaps it was all of the spinning finally getting to his head.) Pixie bodies were built to be at home in the air, with all parts of the kitsusagi anatomy adjusting itself like an airplane -- but winds like this knew no master. Right now he had to keep a clear head, like Genivieve, and concentrate on not smashing into the side of a mountain.
... Wait, what happened to the mountains? While partially relieved not to have to dodge jagged and / or sheer sides of rock at high speeds, Mal was also a little concerned that what he could was distancing itself. This was an unknown danger, though just about anything was at least a softer landing. Oh, this was all too chaotic!
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