[PRP] Survival of the Fittest [COMPLETE]

[shushida]

Time: After LuLu's transformation, rainy
Where: In a forest
Who: LuLu and Luka
What: Searching for shelter  

[shushida]

LuLu was desperate now. Scenery was blurring together as she sped up her search for shelter. It would not be as easy as diving under the cover of a rooftop or a bus stop though. The frei did not know where she was. A forest? There were too many in Gaia to be sure just which one she had got lost in this time. Plus, there were more important issues at hand. Like the rain that was still pelting her mercilessly.

Each drop landing on her felt frigid and numbing. Unfortunately, they would not let up anytime soon. It looked like there would be a downpour at any moment. The monster hissed between clenched teeth as she felt the droplets grow heavier, now even more capable of sapping her energy and diluting her essence.

LuLu nearly thought she was imagining things when she saw a faint glow in the distance. However, there was no mistaking the light as she drew closer. Where there was light, there should be protection. She was racing against the clock. The raevan wasted no time in floating towards any possibility of rescue from the incoming shower.  

[a crybaby]

"It's raining pretty hard tonight..." Luka said softly, warming himself by the fire he had made just moments ago. It was not uncommon for the Frei to be about in the forests of Gaia, camping and such. There was something about the lullabies of trees breathing that made the boy feel at home.

However, with the cold air seeping into his bones, he couldn't help but feel maybe today wasn't the best day to be outside. No doubt his guardian would be worried, but with so much raining coming down, it was just better to wait it out in the dry comfort of his wooden makeshift shelter.

Sitting there warming his hands, Luka's eyes squinted ever so gently as he saw something move in the darkness ahead. "Hello? Is anyone out there?" The boy called. "If you're trying to get away from the rain, you can come over here!" Floating upright, Luka waved his hand into the darkness.

There was definitely something out there, be it good or bad.  

[shushida]

LuLu would have entered the makeshift lodging whether she had received an invitation or not. Anything to get away from the storm outside.

The frei had to squint against the crackling fire. Her black, glasslike eyes were alight with an eerie sheen which swirled with the dancing flames. Everything was bright and cozy in the small space, aside from herself. Even the foreign raevan positioned near the camp's center had a glow about him. He was was like an ember with a radiant glimmer coming from within. From head to ribbon this being embodied warmth.

Still at the entrance, LuLu felt misplaced. The older frei could imagine what she looked like to Luka. Certainly, she appeared like a wounded beast on its last leg. The girl was hunched over and reeking of suspicion. LuLu skirted around the fire as she floated closer to the other frei. She was being drawn in, yet, everything about her seemed on edge. Ears were tilted back and her posture was forward as though ready for an attack. LuLu was a monster. Monsters were not simply offered places to stay with toasty campfires. No, they were meant to be led into traps then slain by knights in gleaming armor.

Ink was dripping from her body in a diluted mess, patches of her natural skin showed beneath. Her fluids were staining the ground and leaving a vast trail behind her. Unable to reabsorb the watered down ink, LuLu could feel how weakened she had become. Her priorities were clear in her mind. She needed to wait the storm out and then she needed to feed.

Luka's irises cast a sunny hue on his cheeks when he turned a certain way which caught LuLu off guard. Startled, the frei lunged forward with an open hand. However, she found herself slumped onto the ground too tired to finish the strike.

She simply gave Luka a warning growl, "Go away. This is my place now." Though, she had no bite to back up her words with. LuLu would need an hour or two to recover some energy before she could be a threat.  

[a crybaby]

Luka was a creature of the woods. His warm disposition did not mean that he was blind to the signs of danger flashing in front of him. From the glint in her eyes to the posture of her body, she was ready to attack him any the slightest sign of provocation on his part.

However, he was also quick to notice that patches of her skin was showing. Under that diluted armor of ink, there was most certainly another raevan such as him.

When LuLu growled at him to go away, the Satyr scoffed. "This is my place. And, you are a guest." For a brief second, the Satyr's eyes flashed with an untamed energy. While the forest did well to calm him, there was no way to truly quell the bacchant blood that flowed through his veins. "Now sit yourself down and get dried." Moving slowly to his knapsack, he dug around before pulling out a fluffy white towel.

He tossed it to LuLu. Maybe, she'd wipe the black goop off and feel a little better. It was strange though, it was just raining and yet, she was dripping with black... paint? Was that paint? It seemed to thin to be paint. "Dry yourself off before you catch a cold."

He tossed another log into his makeshift fire, hoping that a larger flame would warm his strange visitor more quickly. With the brighter light, Luka could tell more of her features. She had ears like a rabbit, and wings. Strange, the wings were like bones. "What are you?" He asked, clearly curious about his night time visitor.  

[shushida]

LuLu felt the sparks between them. The hairs on her her arms rose as though static laced the air. The power behind Luka's words was real, unlike her own, and the younger frei's reaction to her threat was sobering. She was taken aback. It took LuLu a few moments to grab the towel before she seated herself on the ground properly across from the satyr. Of course, she made sure to shoot Luka the sourest look she could muster, a look that told him she was not happy with following his orders.

LuLu thumbed the soft white material which left it stained with an acrid black. The rabbit swiped the cloth over her forearm. However, any ink wiped away was quickly replaced. The fluid welled up from her pores to coat her skin. One more effort at cleaning up was given by the rabbit, but it merely solidified the fact that removing the ink was going to result in wasted energy. Her liquid coating would not being going away anytime soon.

LuLu threw down the towel with a huff. She crossed her arms and looked to the other raevan. "What do you think I am?" Her bottom lip trembled softly. Honestly, LuLu thought it would appear quite obvious what she was. She had told herself over and over in her mind now that she was a monster. Yet, she could not say it to the person just across from her.  

[a crybaby]

"You're like me." The Satyr said dryly. "Like me, but different. You have long ears, and yellow hair. Darker skin than me, and your wings. Your clothes are different too." Luka said slowly, trying to take in the key aspects of her appearance under the layer of ink covering her. "You're like a web rabbit covered in paint." Luka said slowly as he watched her soak up the ink only for it seep back out from her pores.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to handle her aggressive, emotional, and mercurial behavior. it was... too much. He didn't like walking on eggshells.

"Is there anything you want to eat...? Or feed?" He was going to say her name but realized that wasn't something she'd given to him. "My name is Luka." He said slowly, poking the fire with a stick. His back was turned to her, his attention on the dancing yellow and red embers.

While he was tempted to look at her, take in her appearance some more. He had the feeling it was something his guardian wouldn't approve. And, she would probably wouldn't like it either.  

[shushida]

LuLu was growing more frustrated with every word coming from Luka's mouth. Did he intend to mock her question? Perhaps he was that oblivious or was choosing to tread cautiously. Either way, naming off features one by one was skirting around her point. She wanted her satyr to say what she was, not what she looked like. The frei was about to silence him when Luka finally gave her what she asked for all along.

The rabbit scoffed at his description even though it was fitting. Luka hit the nail on the head and described how she felt perfectly. It was like she was wearing a skin that was not her own. It felt suffocating yet invigorating. Ink gave LuLu strength she had never experienced before, but it also came with burdens she could not fathom.

Her lust for food was one of them. Food provided power and that was something she needed desperately. Monsters always wanted to become stronger, right?

Empty black orbs locked onto Luka's back. She narrowed the space between them in seconds. She placed her palm onto the flat space between his wings. Despite the closeness, LuLu's words were clipped. "Ink. I want it." She lulled her head to the side softly. Her lips parted almost sweetly; however, her teeth were also painted an ugly black. "You have it?"

Her ears twitched as they caught the other frei's name. Titles should not matter between monsters and men. It alarmed her somewhat. Suspicion crept into her voice, "LuLu. What will you do with me?"  

[a crybaby]

It took all his self restraint not to let out a grimace upon seeing the other's blackened teeth. It was something he'd only seen with old people and black licorice but even that was not as terrifying as LuLu's current appearance.

Clearing his throat, he floated back to put more room between himself and LuLu. "I don't have ink. Everything I have with me, it's all in that bag."He pointed the canvas knapsack on the ground. It was a small bag with just enough space for a phone, a digital camera, a fire starter and the towel he'd given to her earlier.

Although his guardian had taught him how to write, he'd never found the need to carry a pen and journal around. It just wasn't his thing.

"I won't do anything with you." Shrugging, Luka floated closer to the ground to feed the fire some more wood. "I'm just curious about you is all." As if to prove his point, he looked up and flashed her a mischievous smile before poking the firewood to put it in closer reach of the flames.  

[shushida]

LuLu looked toward the knapsack. It was pitifully tiny and very disappointing. She frowned deeply to better express her dissatisfaction to Luka. Yet, at the very least, she had been provided warmth and shelter. That was something to be grateful for.... even though she had to share this makeshift lodging with another person. "That is all?"

The fire sparked as it was being fed which caused the rabbit to flinch and draw back. The flames were coming to life with strength and energy. LuLu soaked up the burst of warmth and felt that much more revitalized. Her essence was beginning to concentrate. Given just a bit more time to rest she would be well enough to search for food again. The only other thing she needed was the rain to pass.

Her ears reclined back. She could hear it clearly. The pitter-patter of raindrops on the wood was growing fainter. LuLu could not wait to leave her new acquaintance behind. Luka did not have what she wanted. If anything, it was a bother to entertain a host while she recovered. He should have left when she had given him the chance. The satyr might have promised her safety, but LuLu could not give him the same promise in return. She was itching to wreak some havoc.

Overall, this whole ordeal with the rain had been one giant inconvenience which had stuck a wrench in her haphazardly piece worked plan. By now, she could have terrorized at least a handful of people and maybe stumbled upon some decent nourishment.

LuLu responded with a teasing tone, "I am intriguing." It was not a question but an observation. She was an exotic beast, a rare monster. It only made sense that somebody would be inquisitive.  

[a crybaby]

Luka ignored her comment. He tended to pack sparsely when he slept in these woods. They were extremely safe for the most part and pack a large number of items merely hindered him later when packing to return home. Besides, Elai had always stressed the importance of knowing the difference between a need and a want.

As the fire burned hungrily, the light reflected into the Frei's eyes thus giving them an eyrie glow as his body absorbed on its own. If someone had seen his eyes far away, they may have mistook them for high beams. "Yes. Intriguing."

"Because you are different. But, in a good way. No one wants to look the same. Right?" He asked, looking up at her with his glowing orbs. "There's nothing wrong with being different. It's what makes us special." He continued, moving his gaze unto the ground. The glow behind his eyes fading rapidly as he no longer viewed directly at a source of light.

Grabbing a stick on the ground, he traced his name into the soft, moist dirt. "Why are you in this forest Lulu?" He asked, genuinely curious of the rabbit raevan's sudden appearance into his campsite.  

[shushida]

LuLu observed the pale yellow glow of Luka's eyes like a curious kitten seeing a laser pointer for the first time. At first, her tilted to the left. Then, it canted to the right. Each time it moved it was to follow the satyr's gaze. Her mouth opened then closed as though she wanted to say something to him. Yet, once the glow faded away the desire to inquire faded with it. Luka looked just as he had before. Some part of LuLu wondered idly if she could do that with the inky mess on her body. She had nearly abandoned the idea that she would return to 'normal' once again.

Her brows knitted together with skepticism. "This is good?" To prove a point, black tendrils swirled fluidly across her shoulders and chest before they dripped off of her small frame. The female frei frowned when she observed the puddle of liquid still collecting beneath her, "Can there be too much different?" LuLu was stumped about Luka's comment. Sure, different things could be special. Yet, that did not mean they would be approved of. LuLu felt more like a novel bug being fawned over by a little boy. Not everyone was as enthusiastic os Luka was to affirm this side of the girl. LuLu herself was one of those people in opposition.

She was still glowering. Luka did not fully understand her plight. He could revert. He had control. The rabbit did not think she had that sort of option. "Could you accept this as a part of you?"

The girl leaned closer to watch the younger frei trace his name into the dirt. Once he was done, LuLu only gave him a few moments to admire his work before she was making her own creation. Her palm smoothed over the last two letters but left the dirt dingy and gunky. Nevertheless, with her fingers, the rabbit formed two new letters next to his, "L" and "U". She smiled to herself. That looked much better.

She returned her attention to Luka. "Water hurts. I was running from it." Heavens if she new why a park had led into a forest. She had not been giving her surroundings much mind while she was covering ground to find a dry place to rest. It was probably one of those nature reserves she had heard about from the TV. Whatever it was, she would not have been there if she had the choice.  

[a crybaby]

"If it's a part of you, then yes it's good. But, don't let it define you." That was one of the more important lessons his guardian had instilled on him. As with all lessons, there were exceptions, but he felt it was very appropriate for discussion he was having with new guest today. "Accept what part of me? That I don't have legs, or that I have horns? That I grow like a lighthouse every time I feed?" Luka gave LuLu and amused smile.

He watched as the other erased the last two letters of his name and replace them with her own. Standing up to his full height of 5' 2", Luka floated closer to LuLu. "I am not you, so I can't really understand what you're feeling." He said slowly, his hand reaching out to touch the film of ink on her skin. Taking a slender finger, he traced the swirl around her shoulder before running it down her arm and stopping just above her forearm.

He looked down at his hand, how soaked with the black liquid that soaked Lulu's hair and skin. "Because water washes it all away right?" It made sense in a way, sort of.

"Well, the rain is abating, so you'll be able to leave soon for whatever it is you're looking for. More ink, or dryness."

He could no longer hear the thunderous sheets of rain pouring down, only the sad pitter-patter from the last moment of an ending storm. Turning his attention back to the fire, he held his hands out to warm himself. With all the rain, the air was quite nippy now. "Are you cold Lulu? You should warm yourself by the fire, or else you'll catch a cold." Actually, he was unsure that Raevans could catch the common cold, but it seemed quite possible given his guardian was sick with the cold at least once a year.

"You wouldn't want to get sick. Your guardian is probably worrying about you." He said absentmindedly. He could picture his own guardian sitting in that worn out black leather chair with a book in hand, staring out the large balcony glass doors. His guardian knew he could handle himself, but it was natural that the older man would still worry. "Actually Lulu, I can let you use my phone if there's anyone you want to call right now. Let them know that you're okay at a safe and dry place."

He turned his back to the rabbit Frei, shuffling through his small knapsack to find his phone.  

[shushida]

Those words sank in slowly like a dulled knife piercing LuLu's chest. She looked back down at her body. She trained her eyes pitifully at the ink coating her in sheets. She watched as her still reforming hand clenched open and closed at her side. A low whine escaped her lips. LuLu had let her essence define her. It was no longer just a part of her. It made up her entirety.

Ink quivered under Luka's touch and glistened in the firelight as it moved. LuLu's real skin shivered underneath the layers. She was able to feel the pads of the satyr's fingers. Had her ink really become that diluted? Now that her essence had taken over, LuLu wondered if she could wash away with it.

LuLu sat up alongside Luka. It was not the most impressive display given her floating height of 5', not including her ears. The girl was small. Yet, she could still be imposing. Luka's comment on the cold went ignored. Catching a cold seemed like a laughing matter compared to what she had been dealing with for the past few months. Actually, she might even welcome it. It would be a good dose of normality in her life.

The rabbit blinked for a moment to register what Luka had said. She then nodded. Luka's helpfulness seemed to have no bounds and perhaps it was time she had called to check in. How long had she been gone anyway?  

[a crybaby]

Pulling an simple samsung flip phone, he handed it to Lulu. "Just dial the number and press the button with a phone drawn on it. It's a pretty simple cell phone." Although Elai had offered to get him something more... fancy, Luka had found that he preferred simplicity when it came to phones. He preferred calls to texting, and his guardian had helped him find the simplest phone available for that.

"It's an old phone, I know." Luka added with a sheepish smile. He was used to people commenting on how old, simple, outdated it was.