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 Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:50 pm
Mephistopheles prowled on the outskirts of the human settlement, his eyes flashing in the darkness. He had been watching the settlement for sometime, occasionally wandering close enough to investigate a garbage can, but always fleeing before any human eye could catch a glimpse of his thick, dark coat. He did not particularly care for humankind. Those of the island he didn't mind, but the others, the newcomers, made him uneasy. They were too eager to destroy the established order. While he was all in favor of destruction, he preferred to be its orchestrator, and not a dismayed onlooker.
He scented another palui in the area and was torn between a desire to investigate and a desire to simply slink away. He had a third impulse, which he occasionally gave in to, especially when he knew that a male pet-palui lived in one of the ridiculous human dwellings, and that could be satisfying, but he had nothing in his bladder with which to make the offensive mark, and besides, he got the impression he was smelling a female, which made things entirely different.
Without fear of the black night which fell so late on Palu Island, Mephistopheles stalked silently upwind, where the other palui was. He wore a grin which was neither pleasant nor friendly as he did this. He took delight in frightening tame palui.
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:13 pm
Awai Tenshi was quietly sitting on top of a rather tall barrel that was nice to a taller trash can. Personally she didn't mind humankind, even though they were a bit, strange for her taste. However, they are nice enough to take care of helpless bundles, that could get attacked if no one was looking after them. Sometimes humankind are rude and ignore the bundles that are left in some areas, she did not like that. Her constant wiggling made her get up, looking side to side if anyone came along. Nothing.
It wasn't to hard to see a fairly bright Palui walking around, especially that she has a glowing halo over her. Makes herself more visible and cannot clash into the shadows of the dark night. However, nobody doesn't really bother her that much. Shortly coming to the outskirts of the town, her eyes drifted along the surrounding area as her nose picked up a scent. It was strong, sniffing a bit longer to see what else she could pick out of it.
A male.. Her fur blew into the nightly breeze as she stepped a bit more to see where the male could be, she doesn't usually venture like she use to, so something different is quite interesting to her. Hopefully her 'owner' wouldn't really notice, she wasn't really fond of her owner yet anyway, so she didn't care.
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:24 pm
Mephistopheles stopped dead as he came within sight of his quarry, a palui so white she nearly glowed. Or, perhaps, it was the ridiculous thing which hovered over her head which gave the impression of glowing, as that was what it was doing. He could only assume it was some sort of human contraption designed to hinder a palui in its stalking tendencies. He assumed she had scented him when the wind changed direction and had come to seek him out, and he debated whether he wanted to make her regret that impulse. It was within his power, certainly, to make most palui who had not changed to suit their environment very sorry their path had crossed his, but it did not always suit him to make it so.
He remained motionless as he debated with himself, preferring not to make himself readily apparent until he reached a decision. His decision was not long in coming: he would greet this other palui and remind her why pet-palui should stay with their humans, and keep far away from those who remained free and of the land. Not that he would hurt her, though he could, but he might frighten her a little, maybe tell a few falsehoods regarding the safety of the area surrounding the human place which should make her reluctant to venture out after dark anymore. He couldn't care less what others did during the day, because the night with its silken darkness was his time, when he was in his element.
Moving in a slow, but purposeful manner, he emerged from his ensconced position and slunk on nearly noiseless paws in a rough circle around the white palui, indifferent as to whether she saw him or only sensed him. Either way, he knew she would be uneasy, and that was a fine starting point.
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:38 pm
Awai watched the male circle around her. In her mind, she thought this was something normal that the male usually do to greet other palui. Calmly, she stood in her place watching the male. She began to speak but stopped herself. She didn't want to end up saying something that she might regret. However she couldn't watch him any longer or she'll get dizzy. She sat in her place, now that everything in her mind was set about things she was going to say, she slowly began to speak.
"Excuse, but is this something normal that you do? Or are you trying to 'scare' me?" She ask him, a small grin was on her face while her halo was glowing fairly brightly around the two. Personally she wasn't all that scared, she was actually getting a bit sleepy from watching this palui circling around her. It would be nice if he would stop anytime soon. She softly shook her head and looked up, humming to herself until the male stopped his strange circling and wanted to talk to her.
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:52 pm
His pride a little bruised at the obvious lack of success his scare tactic had had, Mephisto put on a relatively fierce scowl which just showed the tips of his teeth. He was still young enough in many ways that his instinct in this situation was to be irritated and a little irrational in his irritation. He contained his temper well enough, other than the briefly displayed scowl, for which he quickly substituted a cold stare. He did not appreciate being bathed in the radiance of the thing over her head, and it was adding to his general moodiness.
His voice raspy and low, he salved his wounded pride as he informed her, "If I was trying to scare you, you wouldn't have to ask if that was what I was doing."
He ignored her first question, but he did cease his circling, choosing to stop behind her, to force her to turn to look at him. Small power games which meant nothing, but which tended to amuse him, if no one else. When she turned, she would see a hint of a smirk in his expression. He sat back on his haunches and waited, keeping perfectly still. Some people were unnerved by stillness, but that wasn't why he did it. He enjoyed exercising full control over his body that way, was all.
"What're you doing out? Won't your human be worried?" he sneered.
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:18 pm
Her soft humming fade away as the palui sat behind her and smiled, at the same time, a small yawn came from her mouth as she turned. "Its rude to sit behind a woman when she is trying to have a simple conversation.." She said softly. Her smiled became until a rather unpleasing frown as she stared at the male. What was he trying to act like? Death. She ignored his childish acts and ignored his first question.
"I don't really care if my human is worried.. My human barely cares about me and my where abouts." She said as she looked up at the sky once more, she didn't begin her small usual hum but just stared. This palui was rather different. He didn't talk a lot like the others thats around town, but their strange attitude bothered her a bit. However his attitude seem so dark.. Maybe a little light in his light would do him some good, it works with everyone else that she might.
"So Why are you out here during this night? Don't you have a human to protect?" She asked him. Awai stopped staring at the sky for a moment to glance down at him to see what he has to say.
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:31 pm
Mephisto had no difficulty ignoring her jibe about his rude behavior. Manners were things acquired from dealing with humans, which he despised. In the wild, palui followed different codes from those the palui of the human settlements seemed to adhere to. The way of the wild palui was simpler, and he preferred it in every respect. He ignored her frown just as easily, though he did take some note of it and was secretly pleased.
"I do not associate with humans." He practically spat the last word, so great was his disgust with the entire species. "I am out because it suits me to be out."
He might have asked what she was looking at, but he was still feeling defensive due to the failure of his attempt to make her ill at ease by circling, and her attempt to impose mores and values belonging to a human world on him rankled. What he said instead was more in keeping with his personality, anyway.
"If your human doesn't care, why stay?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:04 pm
Awai sighed as she heard his last question. She looked down and shook her head in shame. She did not know herself.. It was easier to run away from 'home' than stay, being someone's bragging toy. There was no respect coming from her human, she tries to give the human respect, thinking she'll get something back, but it never happens. So clearly, what was the point even staying around?
"Personally I do not know.. I want to leave.. But humans tend to look for lost pets.. I don't want to go back to that humans' house. I want to stay out here, where I can just roam freely without someone holding me down." She said softly as she looks up at the sky once more.
The only thing was how to escape from her humans' grasp of always coming back? She didn't know how, maybe this palui here could help her in some why.. But she doesn't even know his name.. How rude of her for not introducing herself first.
"Oh.. I forgot to tell you my name. I'm Awai Tenshi.. And you might be?" She asked him, halo glowing even brighter than before. Maybe it was a fair warning?
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:22 pm
Mephisto looked at the palui who had introduced herself as Awai Tenshi, studying her carefully. She made no sense to him. She claimed not to want to return to the humans, but she seemed willing to do so in order that the humans not come looking for her. Or so he gathered. He supposed it would be more difficult for someone with her coloration to blend in with her surroundings than he found it, but it shouldn't be impossible. Not if she was truly determined, or simply put enough distance between her and whomever might pursue her. It seemed simple enough to him.
He didn't know what her name meant, but he suspected it meant something. Two-part names, in his experience, usually did. He had no intention of asking, though, because he really didn't care very much. It was just something that registered in his mind as he considered whether he ought to give up in his attempts to scare her home. He found it unlikely she would do very well in the wild on her own, but that was definitely not his problem. Besides, the chances were slim she would ever make her escape. Or see him again. It was the latter which convinced him to share his name with her.
"I'm Mephistopheles," he said simply.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:39 pm
Looking at him blankly, she heard of his rather long name and tried to figure out if it meant anything.. Of course not all names mean something. Her name did in any case.. She knew some other palui's names that meant something. She thought it would be rude to ask so she stayed quiet until she figured out her next question, whatever that was going to be. One paw in the air to grab her small halo and wiggled it so it could stop its constant light. It began to bother her, everything began to bother her.
Taking the floating halo off from over her head, she shook her body lightly and sighed. She didn't hope that she was some pet palui that enjoyed getting pampered by humans. She didn't. She rather be wild for all she cared, however, she can't go anywhere without someone finding her with this bright thing over her head. It always find its way back there when she just lies it on the ground. Even if she holds it for a couple of moments it pops back up there.. Maybe its a tracking device?
"Well its nice to meet you.. Is it possible that you have a nickname?" She said as her halo appeared back on her head, scrambling to get it off again.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:06 pm
Mephistopheles watched as Awai Tenshi batted at the glowing thing over her head, apparently trying to dislodge it. Her attempts were unsuccessful, as far as he could tell. It was definitely a human invention, he decided. No palui would be born with such a thing over their heads, as it was idiotic and impossible to hide. He knew of many palui who were colored in such a way that camouflage was impossible, but to have an object hovering over one's head, glowing, was something so ridiculous and foul only a human could have conceived and contrived it. He felt a flash of pity for Awai Tenshi. Just a flash, though.
He ignored the part of her greeting which was clearly an ingrained nicety. He sincerely doubted it was nice to meet him. He was not, by nature, a nice creature, and meeting him was rarely nice, or pleasurable. He took efforts to make sure of that, in fact. He really didn't want people following him around, slowing him down, making him have to worry about anyone but himself. He was fiercely independent, and proud to be so. As he reminded himself of these facts the very tip of his tail twitched to punctuate the points he made mentally, as he made them.
"I do. It's Mephisto." He didn't ask if she had a shortened version of her name, though he was almost positive she did. Names like hers tended to have shortened versions. He just didn't want to give her the idea he sought any kind of familiarity with her.
"Who did that to you?" he asked, his gaze flickering toward her glowing head adornment
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:17 pm
As the glowing object floated over Awai's head, she kept tapping at it and trying to pull it off.. Almost like there was a magnet on her head. So the halo could stay over her head to bug her. This thing has been over her head since she could remember.. A human gave it to her and it just.. Floated... It never went away even if she wanted it too.. She never liked it, and everyone always called her 'The Angel Palui"
Always tilted her head when someone calls her that.. The only thing she knew about Angels is that they live in the sky above all Palui and human alike.. And she was NOT in any way an 'angel'. However, the nickname as been stuck with her. Finally the halo came from off her head, but only for a second, as it appeared back on there the next time she felt above her head.
"A human.. They gave it to me when I came out of my bundle and started to call me an 'angel' I do not like the nickname though.. And I do not like this.. Floating object either.." She mumbled softly while giving up on trying to take it down from her.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:26 pm
Mephistopheles had no idea what an angel was. He guessed it was some kind of human invention, and for whatever reason it had a glowing ring over its head, if that was the basis for her human-given nickname. He was curious about angels, because it seemed to him that they must lead dreadful lives. Unless they were nocturnal plant-eaters, in which case they might be safe sleeping during the day, when the glow of the circlet wouldn't be so noticeable. At night, though, the thing was just a liability. He couldn't imagine trying to hunt or sneak while giving off light. His eyes, of course, gave the impression of glowing, but they didn't really glow. Not like the thing over Awai Tenshi's head did, at any rate.
"Humans," he spat, and then sniffed disdainfully for good measure.
On the few occasions when humans had made attempts to touch him or handle him, he had left them with marks to remember him by, and quickly escaped. He had also been much more wary after that, careful only to emerge at night, when humans were blind and helpless. Maybe that was why they had done this thing to a palui, so that the palui could serve as a guiding light to them in their blindness. It was a chilling thought, but he believed humans capable of it. He believed them capable of almost anything, excluding rational behavior.
"You could still escape, you know," he said. "Not that you'd get very far. You're ill-adapted for a life of freedom."
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:44 pm
Awai's attitude towards Mephisto was about to change pretty soon.. His attitude is just.. Down.. He doesn't smile, he does have any emotion on his face. He is just there like a blob of some sort. A frown began to appear on her face again after hearing him say she wouldn't get so far. How would he know? She would get far if this thing wasn't glowing on her head 24/7. She could just escape now for all she know.. Its late, no humans are even awake at this time. So many this is the great time to get away.
"Listen.. I can get far on my own if this 'thing' wasn't ever my head all the time.. Do not put me down just because I am a female or just some house pet. I know pretty damn well what I'm doing." She said harshly.
Not that her harsh probably even matters to this palui but she doesn't care. Who cares about matters right now. Not that Mephisto had any matters, so why should she? She was about to just walk off, but then again. this is the first palui that didn't piss her off from the jump. She is now wondering if this guy would help her in some way to run away from 'home'. Doubtful but she can only hope.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:57 pm
Somewhat taken aback by the pale palui's vehemence and fury, Mephisto allowed himself a smug grin. It had only been a matter of time, after all, before she lost her cool demeanor. He held his ground easily against the waves of righteous indignation which seemed to roll off her in waves, like the light from her luminous head adornment. Righteous indignation was a reaction he was used to as well, though no one had before accused him of discriminating based on gender. Naturally, he discriminated against house pets. They were soft and tame and not brought up to survive without humans to provide for them. Not that providing for palui was difficult, as they're fairly omniverous, but there was another thing for which house pets relied on humans: protection. A house pet might not even recognize a predator for what it was, and it was unlikely a house pet would be able to fend off such a predator with any degree of success unless luck was firmly on his or her side.
Speaking mildly, but with a certain level of amusement, he responded to Awai Tenshi's miniature tirade.
"I was not thinking of your gender. I'm acquainted with a number of females who survive very well on their own, and some even have younglings to care for, and manage it quite well." Those were actually fairly terrifying when they were angry or defending their young. Far more so than any male he had ever encountered.
"However, being a house pet puts you at a disadvantage because your experiences have not prepared you for a life with predators. Furthermore, living with humans has instilled in you a number of social habits not practiced by free palui. It has also made you soft, as it does everyone."
He concluded: "And there's no use guessing what you could or couldn't do without that thing over your head, because it's there, and you obviously can't do anything about it, so you'd either have to learn to hide it somehow - unlikely - or adapt and become very fast at finding shelter. So, let's hope you know what you're doing, because if you don't, and you decide to try to go free, you'll die."
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