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Bane sat by the river side playing a hand craved wooden flute. He wasn't perfect at playing it but it didn't sound bad either. His song sounded sad as he stared off into the waters. This was one of those rare days were Bane was allowing himself to remember and hurt. He didn't allow it often and hoped to one day rid himself of all these feelings, but today was not that day.

He played on and on his eyes barley blinking as he wished for something to break him out of this trance. Any distraction at all from bad to good would be welcome to get him from reliving the horrid things from his past over and over in his head.

It was a nice day, the nice sort of day when one wanted to be out and about in the sun, to play and have fun, and to forget about that stack of school assignments that they had piling up on their desk. A pile that was to the point that if it toppled it would likely crush him were he in lizard form he thought to himself, tail swishing for a moment before he made a mental note not to run around his desk in that form for now. It would be too dangerous, after the assignments were done perhaps? Though that would a day before they were due of course. He'd go to sleep the night before, wake up in a cold sweat midway through the night recalling the work, race through it, and hand it in messily done but usually with a decent enough grade. It wasn't that he was a failure when it came to his classes he just found it all soooo boring!

Still, that was a worry for another day, today was a free day! No classes today which meant that he could do whatever he felt like doing and that meant being as far away from class a humanly possible! All but skipping along the mononoke found himself wandering off the beaten path and toward the sound of rushing water... and another sound that lifted above that sound, "Music?" He murmured to himself. Yes! Music! Where there was music there were people and where there were people there was food! Saphiros rushed forward, scales glittering in the sunlight as he shifted smoothly from one form to another and kept running on all fours, a happy look on his face. Food, food, food! Nothing was better then a free meal if you asked him, it meant that he could waste all his spending money on fun things!

Coming out of the underbrush the little, glittering blue lizard looked toward the one sitting at the edge of the water. Spotting the horns his mind instantly said that the man was some sort of deer mononoke and he rushed forward to play with his fellow witch, giving a big leap as he tried to land on his back to he could ascend on up to the sky, quite sure that this man had to be much, much latter then he was. Neat!

Bane stopped playing suddenly as something hit his back. He blinked turning trying to see what it was, but the little blue lizard was in a spot he couldn't see Bane blinked scratching his head assuming he must me imagining things.

The druid stood he was quite tall not as tall as Keiskei but he was tall. His wolf mask was hanging from around his neck and he flicked it so it was in the back and not bothering him in the front. Bane put his flute away with a sigh before turn towards the deeper woods.

Oh this little lizard was in for a ride now for sure. He may not be a deer mononoke but he sure moved like one. Gracefully running round the trees and hoping over the brush or logs. He kept going for awhile till he reached what looked like a garden of odd looking plants. It just so happened the druid was hungry himself he reached into the whole of a tree and pulled out a bag that smelled of jerked meats and dried fruits. He moved to sit on a log to eat but before he did he spoke out loud. "How are my beauties today?" A rustle seemed to echo through the plants around them. "Ah...good good..."

Saphiros was about halfway up the man's broad back when suddenly the druid was rising to his feet, looking down for a moment the lizard realized that perhaps jumping onto him without announcing himself had been a bad idea? Well it wasn't like he'd thought that he wouldn't be seen, though this did give him a lot of interesting ideas. He should practice this new found skill, the idea of being able to sneak up along people's clothing without being noticed would be quite useful. Deciding that, since he was here so he might as well enjoy the rest of the climb up he figure, tail swishing behind him. Once more the little lizard started on his way up when he suddenly found himself face to face with the wolf mask that was flicked around Bane's neck to hang over the back His mouth dropped open, a little hiss of surprise escaping from him, more then a little startled by the wolf mask that seemed to be starring at him in an intimidating manner from around Bane's neck.

After a moment of being frozen in place the lizard moved slowly around the mask before continued with his climb... that was until suddenly his perch started to run and at a pace that he couldn't help to match be it in this form or his human one. Saphiros had no idea where it was that they were going but it seemed that they were on their way there at a rather speedy pace. It took all his strength to keep from falling off the speedy man's back, certain that if he felt he'd end up with something broken, and just went he thought that his little clawed feet were going to give out they were suddenly coming to a halt in the middle of a garden. Oooo, pretty! Kinda like the big garden that they had at the academy he thought to himself, though none of the plants here looked anything like the ones there. Was this some sort of exotic garden? How lucky he was to see it! Grinning in a manner that only a lizard could the mononoke looked from side to side then was once more climbing along and all but flopping down on the man's shoulder. Phew... made it he thought to himself.

The blue lizard watched as the man suddenly produced a bag from the tree they were standing near to and his tail set to wagging. That smelled soooo good! Not to mention whatever was in that bag was exactly why he'd pounced this person in the first place. He'd share right? Surely he would! It was just the two of them and the guy really did owe him for lizard-napping him in such a manner... though he supposed that was something that he could be blamed for entirely since it didn't appear as though he'd been noticed yet. Instead the man seemed to be talking to... his plants? Reminded him of a green haired student he'd crossed paths with once or two at school, always talking to the plants. He'd thought it odd then and he still did now but... well he wouldn't dream of judging the one with the food. Instead he did his best to look as cute as lizardly possible before scooting over and poked his nose against Bane's neck to announce his presence.

Bane blinked before stopping as he was about to place some dried fruit in his mouth. He eyed the lizard on his shoulder tilting his head a little in an animal type fashion. "Well....hello there little lizard.....were you the thing I felt on my back earlier....you sure are strong to hold on like that while I was running."

Bane blinked and followed his gaze to the food before smiling a bit. "Here you go." He said handing the sweet smelling fruit to the lizard. "Good for me to share a meal with someone every now and again. I mean the flowers are good good company but they can't break bread with me." He said popping a piece of fruit in his mouth.

"My name is Bane little lizard. It's nice to meet you." Bane said with a warm smile around animals he didn't act the same. He was much more calm towards them. The reason was in his mind animals had clear intentions and drives. The lizard was on him for food and warmth there was no other hidden means in Bane's mind. "I think I'll call you Basil? It would be nice if you stuck around little lizard....I can always share my food with you if you like?" Bane had been fighting the loneliness all day perhaps this lizard would help.

Never had a lizard looked more happy then the moment that the fruit was offered to him. He took hold of it with his mouth and set about happily chewing on it, tail swishing behind him. He knew that it would be worth following after that music but he'd never thought he would be lucky enough to find someone with access to such tasty treats. It really was turning out to be his day, wasn't it?

When the horned man was suddenly introducing himself he opened up his mouth as though he were about to respond in turn with his own name... then recalled that lizards didn't talk unless they were familiars and he wasn't quite ready to try to become a familiar. Maybe when he had more free time that was his to do with what he wanted he would try to see how long he could live as a lizard familiar. How much fun would that be? To be able to get a free ride and all he had to do was be friends with a Ars! Tail swishing quickly from side to side he looked up at his new friend Bane as the man suddenly dubbed him 'Basil' and said that it would be nice if he stuck around, well that was an interesting name. Given that the man talked with flowers he supposed that it made sense that he was named after a plant even though he was blue and not green. Oh well, he'd been called far worse in his life up to and including 'perverted lizard' so Basil was a step above his normal nicknames. Especially when the man added that he would always share his food.

Giving a nod of his head the lizard shuffled forward to try to get a better look into the small sack that held the food inside of it, curious what all he had in there. It smelled good, like some sort of dried meat, he wondered if the guy would think to share something like that with a lizard... maybe if he showed interest in it he might get to try some? He'd try that he thought to himself as he started his way down down the arm that held onto the bag of food, tail swishing all the while.

Bane laughed a bit seeing how happy the lizard was of the fruit. Such a simple thing could make the little one happy why was it not so easy for humans. Or was it and humans just choose to make it more complicated.


Bane reached out to pet the lizards head before reaching back into the bag and popping something into his mouth a he stared off into nothing. Trying to void himself of thought, but that wasn't working very well. Bane frowned and furrowed his brow trying to explain even to himself why he did the things he did. It was like there was something inside of him. The beast is what he had dubbed it, he wondered if one day it would control his actions completely.

It wasn't till Bane hung his head did his sad eyes see the little lizard at moved to his arm near the food back. "Oh...sorry I'm not used to sharing." Bane said taking several pieces of meat and fruit from the bag and laying them in a pile on his knee before picking the lizard up and putting him in front of the pile. "We'll go to the fresh spring after we eat and get some good clean water." Bane said trying to smile a little at the lizard.

Saphiros paused in his decent toward the food, turning to look up at Bane when he spoke, commenting that he wasn't used to sharing and he couldn't help but to wonder what that meant. Was he the sort that didn't share? Or was it because there was nobody around to share with? He did kinda have a sad, lonely look didn't he? Were he in his other form he might have given the guy a hug in hopes of making him perk up, as it was though he doubted it would be appreciated if he suddenly shifted back in the man's lap to give him a hug. That never went well from his experience. In fact the last time switched forms in front of someone he was mooching off he'd nearly gone deaf from the screeching... not that he could see this guy making that sort of sound but still, best not to startle him when things seemed to be going so well. Besides, he wasn't sure if this guy was the sort that wanted hugs. He didn't want to mess up a good thing when he had it!

When the food was offered up to him from the guy had to say was his favorite person ever, his tail gave a happy little wag. The little lizard jumped over from the man's arm to land on his leg instead. Once there he was quick to grab up a piece of the meat, so curious about what it might taste like given that it had smelled so good! As he chewed on it he made a sound much like a purr, something that sounded odd coming from a lizard, looking as though he was enjoying what it was that was being shared with him. This stuff was really good! He'd picked a good person to cling to today, even if he'd gone for one heck of a ride before meal time. Completely worth it he thought to himself as he swallowed down the first piece of meat and went about gulping a piece of fruit and then another bit of meat.

Lifting his bright blue eyes to look on at Bane he nodded when the man said that they would go to a fresh spring after their meal he gave a nod, deciding it would be a good idea to get a drink after such a big meal. After all of that though he felt that the thing they would need the most was a nap he thought to himself. Gulping down a few more bites of food before he gave a sighing sound of delight and patted a clawed foot against his belly. Too full to eat anymore he thought to himself as he looked at what was left... and felt that it was a shame to waste it. Picking up one of the last few pieces he couldn't eat he turned, pushed up onto his back feet and offered it to Bane.

Bane half smiled at the little lizard at it stopped to look up at him. He tilted his head it was almost like the lizard was thinking or considering something. That was doubtful though as far as Bane knew he couldn't talk to lizards so it was probably just double checking that it was still safe.

The tail wag made Bane laugh a little he may have a killer side, but there was a softer side to him that was hidden. Alone in the woods he could certainly admit to thinking something was adorable. "You like that hmm? I've never heard a lizard purr before." Bane said eating some of the dried veggies he had.

Bane blinked what sort of lizard had he found? It patted its stomach when it was full and offered what was left back to Bane. So strange and yet it made Bane smile. It reminded him of some of the familiars witches had. He took the left overs and put them in his back tying it up and attaching it to his belt. He then offered his palm to the lizard. "You can ride on my head if you like the horns will give to you something to hold on to while I take us to the stream ahead. There are some nice tanning rocks to there I bet you will like. I go there when ever I get a bit cold and its not cloudy today so should be nice."

Saphiros gave a smile, or at least the lizard equivalent of one, when Bane took back the leftovers and returned them to the bag that they had originated from. Good, it was always nice to meet people that didn't think that, just because he was a lizard at the moment, that he was nothing but a dirty, germ factory. He got that reaction a bit when he was scurrying about near the girls at school, most of them shrieking like banshee and a select few trying to stomp on him. This guy though, he was far, far nicer! When the hand was offered to him, as well as the offer to be allowed to ride on the guy's head, he he jumped at the chance, literally. Jumping up onto his hand he have a gleeful sound of hiss as he was lifted up and allowed to crawl off the hand and onto his head.

Neat! From here he felt like he could see the everything! Even in his human form he wasn't nearly as tall as this guy so it was rather fun to be able to get to enjoy such a perch. Not to mention that he was told that he could hold onto his horns. He had been curious about them, wondering if they were the mark of a mononoke. Taking a few steps over to one he set to work inspecting it, "Hrm... not like any deer I know." He murmured to himself, lifting up on his back feet so that he could rest his forefeet against the horn. It was real, no mistake about that, connected to the man's head and everything but he really didn't know what sort of deer this guy might be. Maybe he was wrong in his guess? Maybe he wasn't a deer at all but instead some sort of sheep or goat? Still, they were a strangely shaped horn for sure, they almost looked liked they had a crescent moon design to them. Instantly his mind said 'Moon Deer' but knowing that those didn't exist, at least to his knowledge. Not that it meant anything, he hadn't taken a flora and fauna classes so there were many species unknown to him.

Reminding himself that what sort of animal this particular mononoke was didn't really matter in the long run the lizard settled down onto his head once more. What mattered was that this guy seemed to be a lot of fun already! He fed him, let him ride around on his head, and said that they were going to off to the river where they could soak up some sun on the rocks. Already Saphiros was dubbing this man his new favorite person!

Saphi couldn't help but to enjoy the stream that he was brought to, finding it to be a rather pretty place, one that he would love nothing more then to visit again sometime. Provided of course that he could find his way back, he hadn't really been paying as much attention to where he was going compared to the one that he was getting a ride from. Now that they were here he realized that he had no idea where he was... but decided that he wasn't too worried, he seemed to have picked up a rather good guide after all. This guy seemed to know the woods well enough so that was no real real to get worried about the whole lost thing unless he managed to lose his new friend as well. If that happened then Saphiros would start to panic.

The man dipped some water out of the stream in a bowl, drank from it, and then set it down before once more offering his hand to Saphi who jumped onto it, enjoying the rapid ride down from his head to the rock, hopping off and scurried over to take a long drink of the water he'd been offered. It was cool, refreshing, and good to have after he'd stuffed his belly with the food that the man had been kind enough to share with him. Once done he laid out on the warm rock, enjoying the heat it was given off that it had gathered from the sun during the day.

Turning his blue eyed gaze up at Bane he gave a rapid shake of his head, and without thinking about it or the fact that it was going to blow his cover he said "Almost, once." That had been... terrible. Girls could be rather bossy when they thought you are their familiar. Not to mention they wanted to tie bows to him which had been the deal breakers for him, he was too lazy to do his own work half the time so he didn't want to do the work of another person and bows... bows were straight out! When the other said that he was a druid he gave a sound like a drawn out 'ohhhhhh' so that was what he was! A druid, neat! He'd never met a druid before! Tail swishing behind him he couldn't help but to be excited. He'd been curious, wondering if he was a mononoke too! A deer or a goat or something like that. A druid sounded so much cooler though because it was something he'd never seen before making this guy special in Saphi's mind.

When there was mention of plants in Bane's garden that wanted to kill lizards he couldn't help but to go wide eyed. Woah, plants that killed lizards? He wondered if that meant that they were poisonous or if they might want to eat him like birds tried to eat him from time to time when he was out and about minding his own business. Stupid birds... and now he had one more thing to worry about, dangerous plants. He'd need to be more careful when he was hanging out with his new friend, didn't he. When the other man mentioned how he hoped that Saphi could understand, that he thought he did, but didn't seem to know where his sanity ranked the lizard looked up at him curiously. Was it just him or did he seem a little odd? Was it too much time alone in the forest maybe? Still, maybe he seemed a little lonely too? It made Saphiros want to give him a hug though he didn't know how the man might react were he to shift in front of him, some were less amused then others when he pulled a switch-a-roo. Shuffling closer, lifting up on his back legs, he hugged the man's wrist best he could given his diminutive size. It wasn't a real hug but he hoped it would be enough.

"Erk..." Oops. It would seem that Saphi's naturally cuddly nature had gotten the better of him, causing his new friend to realize that he wasn't exactly an everyday, average lizard. Shuffling back a bit he starred up at the druid for a long moment, tail swishing from side to side in a thoughtful manner, then said, "Yeah... no, not either of those things." Well, since Bane already knew that he wasn't a normal lizard it should be fine to shift back, right?

He gave a nod of his head at the thought then looked up at his friend for a moment before he allowed himself to shift from his lizard form back into his humanoid form, tail swishing behind him in a slow manner, "Please don't be mad... when I am in that form I tend to end up climbing all over people since I like snuggling people when I am in this form and that desire ends up a litte stronger in my lizard form because those I snuggle on are nice and warm." He admitted, lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head in an embarrassed manner. He just couldn't resist cuddling up against a nice, warm person, especially when those warm people also had food. This form was the best after all for mooching things off of people be it food, affection, a ride, most anything really... all of which he'd gotten from Bane save for many the snuggles but given he was a grown man maybe he wasn't the sort that like snuggles? Saphiros hoped that he would still like them when he was this man's age or even his old man's age. Lifting his hands up he set to straightening out his school uniform which he was still wearing, not having bothered to change before racing off into the woods to have fun the moment he was free of his boring classes.

"When I first saw your horns I actually thought you were a mononoke too but turns out you are something far cooler." He chattered on, more then happy to talk now that he was no longer playing lizard. He was normally a rather talkative person so staying silent in his other form was the most difficult thing that he ever had to do. Now that his cover was blown he could be himself again, a good thing since he'd held in his words so long he was sure he was gonna burst.

It was a little hard to tell but the druid didn't seem all that happy with him, did he? He was probably upset over being tricked, huh? Saphiros wanted to try to defend himself, or perhaps to cling to his new friend, anything to make sure that the man didn't just up and leave because he was mad at the mononoke for tricking him. It wasn't exactly that he wanted to trick people, it's just that he knew he could get far more from them as a cute little lizard instead of a mooching boy. His tail swished from side to side rapidly, "I hope you might be able to forgive me." He said in a hopeful manner, that or at least not give him a beating... this guy was a lot bigger then him, stronger looking too, taller and more muscular, he doubted it would take much to for the druid to take him out if he were really upset...

When the other seemed to question what he meant by saying that he was 'cooler' the lizard boy seemed to relax a bit, perked up, and gave a smile, "Well of course! I am a mononoke, and I have seen lots of other ones since there are quite a few at school, but I have never seen a druid before!" He said, eyes sparkling with excitement over the fact that he had actually gotten to see one, " He said, leaning in a little closer to Bane, obviously curious about him and what it meant to be what he was.

"So... what did druids do other then run around the woods befriending animals?" He asked in a curious manner, wanting to know all about druids now that he had found one. He was sure that he could try to look such information up in the library but that would be rather... boring. It would be far more interesting to learn from someone that looked like this guy looked. A shame his teachers did look this good, he might actually pay attention, "AH! You know, I should probably introduce myself, huh? My name is Saphiros! Though everyone just calls me Saphi." He said, grinning as he held out a hand to the druid, offering him a shake of hands if he would accept.