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 Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 9:13 pm
After Anubis had left, Faylen had remained sitting on the curb for some time, mulling the encounter over; his hip had hurt too bad to move right off anyways. So he had stayed put, turning the bracelet over in his hands, putting it on and pulling it off again, just trying to wrap his mind around things. It all seemed way too surreal! But between his dream, the scales and the recent meeting...there was no denying it, not matter how much his logic mind wanted to. It was real, alright. Real weird.
He realized, though, that he couldn't sit on the curb forever. What if Mother drove by? Surely she was home from work by now and it wouldn't surprise him if she was out looking for him. He couldn't risk her seeing him! Plus...he had to find a place to stay- a sidewalk was not a comfortable or safe place to sleep for the night. Somewhere hidden. Somewhere dry. Somewhere warm would be nice too, he wagered as he'd rubbed at his arms. But he wasn't going to find anything just sitting around, so he had staggered upright and stumbled on, wandering aimlessly to nowhere.
As he hobbled up the streets, the shock of everything still wrapped around his mind, he tried to process things. A game. He was part of a game. Because he was chosen by a goddess. And apparently in this game- and this had gone over his head at the time, or at least hadn't sunk in when the dark man had mentioned it- he had to fight people to win. Crap.
From his understanding, it was like a combination of cockfighting and chess...with magic.
He hoped that when his powers came in, they were something spectacular, though, because he...he wasn't a good fighter. He was always the kid that got beaten up and shoved into broom closest. Sadly, that didn't even happen only at school. He'd need all the special powers he could get if he didn't want to get hurt or lose early on.
Fay had come to rest finally at a park- not too far from where he started, incidentally. His hip, angry with pain, refused to let him travel too far, it seemed. He'd collapsed onto the bench for awhile, rubbing sorely at his hip. Ever since...that one time, his hip had bothered him if he moved too much. Usually he could take an aspirin but considering the boy had no forethought to grab anything when he bolted, he was stuck with the pain.
He sniffled a little, moaning and whining at the pain. Oh, this sucked! His hip hurt, he was terribly lost, he had no place to stay and it was getting dark out. His sniffles soon became deep shuddering breaths. Most kids ran off at some point in their life. But most kids got about to the corner store and then went back home by dinner, crying and apologizing. Unfortunately for Fay, there was no corner store. He just...he couldn't go back! If he had been worried about the thrashing he'd get for the scales, he couldn't imagine what it would be like now.
It wasn't long before the deep shuddering breaths became more pitiful and anguished, the shock melting away from his mind to leave the familiar panic raw and exposed once more. Without a death god to chide him this time, the young boy cried uninhibited for sometime until his throat was raw and his eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, until nothing more came but raspy wheezes.
He turned his face upwards towards the sky, looking at the faint stars that were beginning to dot the evening sky. A familiar song pushed up and out of his lips, bubbling into the air raspily as he watched clouds scud across the sky. It was all in German, but anyone approaching him might notice the tune at least was familiar, that it evoked memories of a song about 'somewhere over the rainbow'. He remembered his sister holding him, brushing his hair and singing the same song on some of the 'bad' nights. He remembered staring out the window at the stars as she sang to him. Memories might not keep him warm or from getting kidnapped or raped, but...they were all he had right now in the big ol' Nowhere Familiar of Middling.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 9:38 pm
Quinn stuffed his hands in his pockets and whistled happily. He had, somehow, tricked Writ into meeting him that night at his house (if the other man actually went through with it, which was still up in the air) and he had some time to kill for the rest of the day. So he decided to take a walk, and check out some clothing stores for any new outfits. Not that he really had any money to spend, but he'd get it somehow.
He really needed to get in gear and get a steady job.
He walked past a park bench with a kid sitting on it, and took a few steps before stopping in his tracks. His mind did a double-take of the boy he had just passed. First note: Pink shirt. Possibly homosexual. Second note: Short. Young. Third note: Scales? A Godling?
Quinn glanced down at his own scales and feathers on his elbow, and spun on one heel to face the boy, a huge grin plastered to his face. "Heya! I'm Quinn." His pale skin was pretty blinding regardless of the time of day, but the tattoos helped lessen the effect. "What's your name?"
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 10:01 pm
Even in the fading light of evening, the older boy that had spun to face him so suddenly had a very shocking effect on the younger godling. So shocking, in fact, that the words jammed in Faylen's throat and the boy moved to scoot back suddenly. Unfortunately, on a narrow bench, there wasn't much room to scoot and the scaled boy went right over the edge, landing on his back, one leg slung up on the bench.
He looked up at the other on from his vantage point, a startled expression plastered across his face. He hadn't expected anyone to talk to him- the crowds were thinning (probably heading home for dinner and family time) and most people simply ignored him, not wanting to deal with a crying, weird kid. He blinked a few times. This one was...strange. Colorful. The new godling sniffled and rubbed at his nose, though he made no motion to move from the ground. What was that amalgamation on the other's arms? Feathers? Scales? Maybe they were fancy accessories- he looked like someone from The Scene. They were kind of weird there, right? He felt...odd to the boy too. Different than the others that had passed by. But...look at him! Of course he was different!
He felt a weird brush against his mind, faint. An urging to be...cautious? He was probably just imaging things, paranoid. He kept wide, honey-brown eyes fixed on the other, tongue darting out to lick at dry lips. Perhaps...was the other like him? Was he a Player too? He felt his gut go cold. Oh god, what if he was a Player? Players had to fight, right? He...he had just started, though! And the other was so much taller and probably stronger! The boy was quivering slightly now, bringing to mind the image of a shaky little chihuahua. Just don't say anything about it...maybe he doesn't know, he told himself, subconsciously fidgeting with his bracelet-talisman he had gotten only moments prior. Act normal!
"Meine name...I mean...I-I am called Faylen." he managed, accent tinging his words. Dang, why did he keep giving his full name today..?
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:21 pm
"What are you, like, ten?" He raised an eyebrow at the boy. "And I assume you're a player. What can you do?" He pointed a finger in the air and created a star, to shine brighter light, then smiled, letting the colors reflect off of his fangs.
"Fun times, you know?" He sighed. "I guess you're new? You seem kinda jumpy. I can answer any questions you have."
What? No! Screw you, feelings of protectiveness. My job isn't to help shaky little coward kids!
Quinn was being incredibly mature, for him. He felt similar to the boy, already. Maybe it was just the scales. It was probably just the scales. He wondered vaguely if the boy got dirt caught under them sometimes, too.
"Look, I'll just shut up and let you talk. Go on."
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:11 pm
Faylen stared at the other man's hand for a few beats, not sure if he should take it or not. The other man wasn't frightening in an aggressive way, per se, he was just...very loud and colorful and it was kind of intimidating in a weird way. But regardless, it would be rude not to accept his help, he decided- he didn't have to offer, after all, but he was kind enough to do so. Nervously, he extended his own quivering hand, managing to wiggle himself upright with the support. His face was burning red from embarrassment over the fall as he dusted himself off, making the scales stand out all the more.
"It is nice to meet you." he responded in a polite murmur, looking down at his shoes.
He shifted a bit when the other mentioned his name, but didn't say much on the matter. It was an odd name. Certainly not traditional German. At the time, his mother had wanted something non-German and 'exotic', but he thought it ended up coming off more as 'weird' than anything. Certainly not cute. The man- Quinn- he had to be being nice to the boy either out of pity or to manipulate him.
That train of thought- along with his reflex to protest that he was twelve, not ten, thank you very much- was abandoned as the man called him out on being a Player, though. He jerked his head up suddenly, a deer-in-headlights expression on his face. As the other lifted his finger and created a shine, Fay jerked back out of habit, throwing his arms up as cover. He knows he knows he knows he's gonna kill me!
When nothing happened, he lowered his arms slowly, just watching the colors. That was...odd. Pretty, though. But at least he wasn't dead. Yet. He swallowed, looking away from the fangs (which were not helping him feel less unnerved), trying to manage conversation.
"I just...I...he said..." he stammered a few times, accent a little heavier. When he got nervous or scared, his accent tended to thicken, it seemed. He took a deep breath and tried again. He hated how inept he was at times! "I haf just joined zhe game, to be truthful. I...am not sure of vhat I can do yet. And I'm tvelve, not ten." he added at the last moment, a bit indignantly.
Crap, stop telling him these things! Don't let him know you're a sitting duck! his mind harshly reprimanded. He tended to either freeze up or babble when nervous...tonight, he was babbling. Great. Maybe Quinn'd go easy on him and let him off, though, if he knew he had just started. Or he'll beat you up while you're easy pickings. One or the other.
Fay watched him warily, trembling slightly. He still wasn't sure how to feel about the man. What would he want in exchange for answers? He certainly had questions. A lot of them, actually.
"Vhat vill it cost me to get answers?" he asked. May as well know the price up front instead of being tricked into a debt.
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:21 pm
"Yeah, ten, twelve, whatever. It won't cost you anything, except maybe a nice smile and less stammering." He arched an eyebrow at the boy. "You seem nervous. Is there a problem?" Even if he was trying to help the kid, it was fun to scare him a bit. He gave a humorless grin, showing off his fangs another time.
"Something frightening you?"
Quinn picked some dirt out from under one fingernail, and flicked it off in a random direction.
"So. You've got questions, I've got answers. Let's do it."
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:49 pm
Faylen shifted a little, eying the man again as he flashed fangs. He swallowed a bit. Anubis said he had been one of the more normal ones when they had met and he was starting to see what the Jackal-man had meant. Between Quinn's feathers and fangs and colors...oh, it made him wonder- somewhat nervously- what the other Players were like.
"There's no problem. I just...I've never been alone before." he said quickly, looking at his feet again. It wasn't entirely a lie. Being alone out here was making him jumpy and nervous.
He took a deep breath. Questions, right. "Well...Herr Anubis said...ve could talk to our gods. How? Do zhey appear to us or vhat? A-and he mentioned powers but I do not feel anyzhing. How do ve use zhem?"
Might as well start with the basics if the man was willing to answer. Plus, if he was going to have to sleep on the streets...he'd like to have some semblance of powers to chase off the things that went bump in the night.
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 9:12 pm
Quinn thought about this. His god just...talked to him. Quetz tended to talk whenever he wanted to.
"I just sort of...think at him? And he responds. Maybe it's different for other godlings, I don't know. But I talk to him through my mind." He nodded. "And as for the powers, that's different for everyone. It might help if I knew who your god was. We could do a little research, and figure out what they might be?" Quinn was really at a loss. His powers had seemed pretty straight forward. When he pointed, stars appeared. He grew fangs. Animals spoke to him. Lightning shot out of his body when he was anxious.
"Usually they sort of pop up on their own, though. A lot of them seem to stem from emotions, at least in my case. Notice anything wierd happen around you recently?"
Quinn smiled.
"And you're not alone. I'm here!"
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 9:55 pm
Think at them? "Like...vhen you pray?" he said. Well, that sounded easy enough.
Um, hello?
'Greetings.'
"Jesus!" he blurted aloud, shocked he actually got an answer inside his head.
'Not exactly.'
"Why didn't you say anything until now?"
'You never asked. Besides...your mind needed to be open. Until now, it was like trying to speak with a brick wall.'
The boy looked back to Quinn, looking like he'd seen a ghost...or heard a goddess. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of something to say. He'd thought the shock of things had worn off but nope, it seemed he was back to be stunned and in disbelief of...everything. He felt overwhelmed. Again. Just don't cry, stupid. His lip quivered again but he pushed it back. He...he'd cried enough today.
He stared at his hands as the other spoke of powers, just as he had when Anubis mentioned them. "Not really...unless you count vaking up vith scales zhis morning." he answered, scuffing the toe of his sneaker into the dirt. Research...looking things up. It couldn't hurt, anyways. But maybe...
Who...who are you?
'Child, if I told you everything up front, what would you learn? I'm sure a smart boy like you will figure it out'
Well, it had been worth a try. He reached up and rubbed his head. Ow, ow ow! His head was pounding! It felt like he'd banged it a good one. Would it always hurt to talk to the gods like that? Maybe he should ease up on communication for a little bit. "Ja, I should find out who is in my head..." he finally remarked of the research comment.
At the last bit the man said, Fay stopped rubbing his skull a moment, looking up and smiling weakly. "No, not for now, at least."
But how long would it last before he was scared, alone and cold again? Maybe he should go back home and beg Mother for forgiveness. But even the thoughts of that left a sour taste in his mouth and cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. No, he couldn't go back! No matter how scared or alone he got! For now, he'd enjoy this company. He still wasn't sure he could trust the man but... he seemed okay for now. He'd just keep his guard up in the meantime. Though...what good would it do? He had no powers that he knew of and aside from that, his hip was still aching to bad to run very far.
He supposed...he could just hope and pray for the best.
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:16 pm
"Yeah, sort of like that." Quinn nodded.
Watching Faylen's expression change as he heard the voice in his head, Quinn decided, was the best thing that had happened all day.
"Yah, that sounds like a good plan." he laughed. "If you ever need anything, Kiddo, just come find me. You know what they say, snake creatures of a feather...or something."
Quinn thought for a second. "Hey! You wanna get a bite to eat? I'm famished!"
You are always hungry.
Quetzy!
You are never to call me that again.
Mr. Q!
Much better.
I missed you. Where were you?
I was busy. It's unimportant.
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:32 pm
Food? Oh, that sounded beautiful right now. He hadn't grabbed anything to eat all of today and after this, who knew when his next meal would be? Granted, he was used to missing meals here and there but at least at home there was the guarantee that he'd be fed something eventually (after all, if he starved to death, who'd clean house? He didn't see Mother moving too fast these days). Given how unpredictable his new life was going to be, he'd best fuel up when he could. Still, he shouldn't. He'd hate to take advantage of the man! It was rude.
You were invited, you know, he told himself. It would be rude to turn him down.
Still, invited or not, he shifted uneasily. He'd just met the man! Was it even...smart? Was he just luring him off to take him out discreetly? He regarded the man timidly before responding.
"Zhat sounds like it vould be..." He stumbled only a moment as he tried to recall the English version of 'wunderbar' "...vonderful. But...I do not wish to cause you any trouble so you do not haf to, really..."
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:03 pm
Quinn had alreay started walking before the boy had finished his sentence, his destination predetermined. They'd get some hotdogs at a nearby place.
Quinn smirked. "Don't worry. It won't cause me any trouble. I'm paying, but," his smirk seemed to get much more sinister, "You'll make it up to me some day soon."
He trotted along happily, a bounce in his step. He had made a new friend!
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:15 pm
The other seemed terribly nonchalant as he turned headed off and for a moment, Faylen had thought the blonde had taken the offer to not bother until he told the boy not to worry. Faylen limped along behind him the best he could trying to keep up. He was tired but he was also hungry and filled with a desire to cling to company as long as he had it (or as long as it proved to be safe company, anyways). He knitted his brows a bit at the comment 'you'll make it up to me some day soon'. Make it up? How? He swallowed a bit- it sounded a bit unsavory but...nah, he was just imagining it.
Stop thinking the worst. He seems okay enough. Surely he meant something more simple like buying him dinner some time or helping him out.
He felt the familiar bolt of pain swarm his hip as he tried to keep up with the other's pace, but he didn't want to ask him to slow down.
"Ja, I vould love to pay you back sometime. You haf been very nice to me." he said "I can clean quite vell if you ever need it and I am skilled vith my hands but, oh, I can do other zhings too." he said, trying to make himself sound useful to keep around and worth all this trouble of buying food and such. Never mind that the only things he could think of being useful for was cooking and cleaning...he was sure he could figure out something when it came to it.
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