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 Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 3:43 pm
Who: Cam, Trox, and Zeke (ALSO DOGS)
When: November 19th, 2013; early evening
Where: Trox's House
Weather: Onset of dusk; chilly but suitable for November
With his goodbyes given to Duncan, Zeke had one filled bottle down and its Essence down and one pair to go. A trip to the farmlands between Gambino and Barton were the vet's next destination and as he turned his silver Aston Martin onto the highway Zeke realized that Trox was like Duncan in at least one way other than gender. Like the older man who had just fed him full of good food and sent him on his way, Harrison Troxel was a face he had only seen once - and briefly - since they had first met. Trox had been on the bus to Kahadlok and Zeke had greeted him, but before or since then they hadn't even passed each other on the street. This was starting to become a trend and one he would have to definitely break from here on out.
A half hour later Zeke was off the highway and soon after pulling his car onto the thick, solid dirt backroads of the countryside. The sight of farmland on one side and woodland on the other made him chuckle as he remembered the taller, older man. Troxel had 'rugged' plastered all over him but Zeke didn't think the man was so in the thick of it! It was a nice surprise, though he did wish the roads he was on were paved, if only to open up his baby like a proper sportscar should be. He was in the country, the horses should be allowed to run free!
Mild disappointment aside, Zeke reached Troxel's house quicker than he had expected so even if he had been able to let his car's engine purr the ride would not have lasted long. He turned onto the proper street and drove up a moderate length of dirt and scattered stones to the house itself. The farmhouse wasn't hard to spot now that the trees had lost the vast majority of their leaves though its yellow exterior would have been hard to miss even in the height of summer. A veranda stretched around it and a porch swing gently rocked in the breeze that had kicked up. Two or three trees stood guard in the front yard, just as barren as the surrounding copses.
Zeke gave the property a once over before pulling into a free spot next to an older looking, champagne-colored Toyota Avalon parked before a garage standing separate from the house. Like Duncan, Trox had a nice piece of property on his hands but Zeke didn't stay put to admire it before he had the car off and the driver's side door open.
He expected tweeting birds or perhaps some late-end summer bugs greeting him in the early evening dusk. Instead there was a deep-throated baying coming from the house the likes of which made Zeke laugh.
"He's got a dog." The notion didn't surprise him one bit.
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:17 pm
Harrison Troxel had kept a firm schedule in his household- residual effects from years of military service and continuing his job as a civil servant. The key word that is, was ‘had’. Camille Moore had arrived like a whirlwind- an uncomfortable reminder of that time he had become witness to the end of three lives in his command, and the screeching halt of a 19-year-old boy’s budding career. It was like a hornet living underneath his skin. Camille Moore, for the most part, had taken to drinking away his sorrows and freeloading both room and board from Harrison. The pilot had always had a soft spot for the flight medic. The kind a father would for his son. Today marked the first week Camille had long since arrived, broken as Troxel was following the jungle, and destroyed any semblance of a schedule the aviator had.
Early evening was the time for the dogs to be feeding, a pack growing in numbers as the weeks had progressed. Camille marked the third stray he’d welcomed into his home. Belle had been almost as accidental as Kiowa. Harrison had found Kiowa roaming the streets after his return from the jungle- the young English Shepherd mix was alone and dirty, trotting in the rain. Much like Harrison. The parallels tickled the older man and he called the dog home, groomed him, and settled him with Trigger. Despite the outreach, the posters, the phone calls, it had seemed Kiowa had no home.
Trigger was an old shepherd, too tired for the game of the young dogs. Harrison had left one day to deposit the shepherd but he instead returned with him. Kiowa and a new addition, slightly older, pale colored, sweet lady, Belle. Whoops. Now his family had grown from two to four. Then Camille arrived, on his doorstep, dirty and hungry… It would seem Harrison had a penchant for strays.
With the additional mouths to feed, both human and canine were now gaping at the earlier hours. Cam was more conditioned for a bottle of hard alcohol, though. A habit Harrison had yet to break him of. The entire timetable of evening to night was a rocky one. The dogs were restless and Troxel attempted to prepare a meal consumable for humans while the chicken boiled for his pack. New homes, tender stomachs, soft stools.
The pilot had nearly forgotten about the appointment he’d set up with the young vet, however his phone and alarm were keen to remind him. Zeke… A man he hadn’t seen since the search malfunction, and he was certain Zeke did not see him in return that day. Trox was worried. Especially with the additional variable of Cam, strewn over the couch, flask resting on his hip. The slight man looked mildly sober to say the least.
Then came the barking. Kiowa was perched at the door; tail flailing violently as a car pulled into the driveway. Foreign and new. It wasn’t long until Belle had taken up in the barking, sheerly out of response to her new younger brother. Troxel hissed at the pair, now crowding the door. He dropped his knife to the cutting board, wiping his hands on the towel over his shoulder and moved towards his foray. As he passed Cam he pointed and mouthed ‘you better behave’ before peaking out the window.
Trigger at this point had become actively engaged, the old german shepherd hanging back, tail wagging lazily as he watched Troxel size up their guests. Kiowa and Belle both baying up a storm as they paced, excitement visible in the speed at which their tails slashed through the air.
Harrison hissed. Grabbing both collars and dragging the two beasts to their respective kennels, covering the crates with blankets willing the dogs to settle down. The noise dampened as they entered a calmer environment, gruff growling and haphazard barks were all that were heard now. Like parakeets.
He moved back to the door, gently pushing it open and waving at Zeke from the warmth of his threshold, Trigger peering out the window to his right.
“Zeke, welcome. Sorry for the racket.” He called, pushing the door open a bit more and telling the obedient dog to wait and stay by the window.
Camille raised a brow glancing over at the door and furrowing his brow before calling. “Trox, y’din’ lemme know we were gonna have company…”
Harrison leaned back, calling into the living room. “Social interaction is good for you, I read it in a book once.”
The older man smirked to himself as he caught the eyeroll he was given in return.
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:41 pm
A second baying bark joined soon after the first and Zeke was amused that he had been wrong in his initial guess. Unphased by the racket and equally undeterred the vet made his way up the sidewalk to the house just in time for the door to open and Trox to poke his head out.
"Hey Trox!" Zeke gave the man a wave with his free hand, the other fully occupied by the handle of the second case he had brought along with him. It swung heavily at his side as Zeke wound his way up to the steps and then onto the porch; swapping the case over in order to extend his long-fingered hand to the tall pilot. "Sorry if I'm late, ended up hanging out with a friend of mine for awhile. I think I might have lost track of the time."
He gave the man one of his sunny beams, the likes of which only grew when he noticed the old shepherd dog looking at him from the window. Thinking that the dog was the source of the racket, Zeke had to point and nod his head at Trigger.
"This one of the ones causing all the hub-bub? He's got a set of lungs on him; I think he was shaking the windows on my car!" He could hear the muted barks from somewhere inside, but with Trigger at the window, that was the only - and most obvious - option for him to settle on.
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 4:55 am
Trigger was ecstatic for the new guest, his tail moved from side to side in a lumbered fashion as he walked to settle his head firmly into Zeke's thigh. He was large for a shepherd, and thick giving him a menacing appearance. Despite his size he wouldn't hurt a fly, much like Troxel and his height. Trigger leaned into the vet and offered his haunches for scratching.
Harrison kept an eye on the dog, hand pressed against the wall to aid him in bending, grabbing the collar and eventually pushing back up IF he needed to. Trigger was fairly well mannered and mostly due to age. The aviator responded with a light smile- much more relaxed in his own environment. Less formal and nervous than their first meeting. His normal baseball cap was tossed onto the small table in the foray, shoes kicked off in the mudroom. He nodded to Zeke's coat, brows raised as he shook the other man's hand.
"Zeke, hi. Can I take that for you?" He gestured to the jacket now. He brightened his grin as he looked to the case, Trigger was very invested in sniffing every last inch of it. Surely to get in the way.
"Trigger? No, no. He's not too vocal. The other two back in the laundry room are spry and eager for dinner. Falling behind in my own schedule y'see. Sorry, I'm prepping dinner right now. Can I offer you a drink?"
Full host mode. All that was missing was the apron from the aviator. Harrison liked his homes to be clean, the house looked recently swept, mopped and dusted along with it's fair share of tidying. Kitchen nearly spotless if it weren't for the stations of preparation for a roasted chicken. The living room, however, was well lived in. Despite the three bedroom household, Camille was kept from actually staying in one of the rooms until he was sober for a time and cleaned up his act. Harrison felt a flush of embarrassment due to the small companion. It was a bit of a dark time for them.
"Hey Cam? Zeke from the Lab is here. Would you mind feeding the pack?" Trox asked after clearing his throat, leading Zeke into the kitchen where he was set up on the island. The pilot leaned down picking up a sports-prosthetic for a leg and moved to the living room. He was expecting Cam to say something whitty, pull the cripple card and ignore the older man. It all depended on his level of sobriety really.
Camille however, was in a particularly indulgent mood. He looked from Harrison and then back to the somewhat slighter man and furrowed his eyes up tight. Lively looking. The former medic bit his bottom lip and slowly moved to sit up with a nod at Harrison while never removing his quizzical gaze from the raver.
"Why is yer hair green?" Cam asked, gaze furrowing down as he untied his right pantleg, drawing the fabric up so he can correctly place his prosthetic. He then shakily stood, obviously unused to the device and faltered, reaching for his child sized crutches before standing at a compressed height around five feet flat.
"Cam..." Harrison warned and rolled his eyes moving back towards drink, pulling out a glass for Zeke and gesturing him to sit at the breakfast bar, "Zeke, please. Beverage?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 4:54 pm
"Hey pup, how ya doin'?" When Trigger greeted Zeke and offered himself up for petting, the vet wasted no time in digging his short nails into the scruff of the shepherd's neck and giving him a good, ruffling scratch like the vet gave to his own thick-coated dogs at home. Trigger was clearly an old boy but to Zeke every dog was a pup, especially when they acted like they were still that age. Patting the dog on the back when he was through, Zeke looked at Trox quizzically before realizing what the man was asking.
"Oh! Yeah, thanks. I should've worn something a little warmer, but it was the first thing I grabbed." Zeke set the case on the floor, stripped himself of his windbreaker, and then handed it right over. He reached down for the case again and noticed the cast off shoes and Trox's own sock-clad feet. "Should I take my shoes off or am I okay to tread on your nice clean floors as is?" He held one foot out for inspection, his brightly colored sneakers far from caked in mud. A little bit of dirt and dust in places, but well loved, used, and cared for all the same. He would wait before taking a step further than the two he had taken to get in from the dusky November cold.
"You've got three dogs?" Zeke looked up as he set his foot back down, amusement on his face and eyes bright with intrigue and delight at the thought of a pet-filled household much like this own. "I pegged you for a dog guy but I only figured one, maybe two tops!" When they had last met the pilot had made a favorable impression on Zeke, not that that was truly hard to do. A rugged outdoors type, but a little on the quiet side. Three dogs - especially two that bayed like big ol' hound dogs - seemed almost comical when compared to the vibe Zeke had gotten from Harrison. "A drink sounds great, thanks. And sorry for coming right when you're making dinner. Jeez my timing today."
When he finally stepped inward from the foyer Zeke followed behind Trox while keeping aware of where Trigger was; pausing when the older man did and taking up step again immediately after the pilot asked someone in another room to do him a favor. Zeke lingered in the kitchen while Trox went to bring something to another area of the house and he let his attention waver to the walls, floors, and everything else there was to look at in this particular room. Thanks to dating and now finally living with an architect, he had developed something of an eye for the things that made up home and kept it standing.
"You've got a nice place here," the raver said upon his host's return, "you know I figured you for an outdoorsman but I didn't think you were right in the thick of it!" A grin lit up his face, though it faltered at the sudden appearance of a new voice. Quick on the ball as always, however, the smile was back as Zeke peered into the living room and then at the man fastening his prosthetic onto his missing limb. "It was actually something of an accident, if you'd believe that. I went to the store to get an electric blue to go with my purple, but they hadn't gotten any with their latest shipment. I didn't want to wait a week and they were the only store for a few miles that sold that brand, so I went with the next best thing and voila! Here we are today!"
Zeke ran his right hand over the side of his hair, slipping it back to fix his ponytail so it trailed down his back. He was actually long overdue for a change of color but that's where things got tricky - he didn't know what colors to go with next. Zeke held his hand out to Cam when the medic came into the room, still as sunny as ever even though the newest body in the room was looking a little out of it. He'd have to dial back the energy if this one had just woken up from a nap like he seemed to have. Zeke knew his overly chipper brightness wasn't favorable to some people first thing and the last thing he wanted to do was make anyone uncomfortable in his presence.
"Nice to meet you; I'm Zeke." He then looked at Trox and nodded. "Please and thank you. I'll have whatever you're having so long as it's not tea." He chuckled a little in spite of himself. "I had more than enough of that at the other place I was at. Wouldn't be surprised if I piss pure later."
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:26 pm
Harrison was wrapped in his world, the mental checklist of the day seemed to hardly be dwindling. He flurried to the kitchen after placing Zeke's jacket on a coat rack situated in the corner and looked towards his shoes quickly. Cam's prosthetic had been in the dirt so why should he even pretend to care that he had mopped not eight hours ago.
"You can keep your shoes on, Zeke," He said with a chuckle and shook his head, "Besides, between the dogs and the third stray that showed on my door, I can't hold it against you."
"Well Kiowa and Belle were accidents. He foun' Kiowa, meant t' drop'im off. Figger'd he woul' return wid both dogs," the medic called, cajun tones drawling as he finally started his trek, "And me? I'm jus' a swee' face tha' he cain' turn down. Cripple card always works too..."
Cam fumbled on his crutches, moving into the kitchen and throwing a s**t eating grin to Harrison, taking the 'stray' comment in stride. He looked towards Zeke, eyeing more colors staining the man's hair and tilted his head. He wanted to shake hands too? The slighter man's face contorted in struggle as he found balance on the two legs, allowing the crutches to rest against his ribs before reaching forward and giving the man a surprisingly gentle handshake.
"Cam, h' worked with Troxel in th'military," He said looking over Zeke's forearms, face drawing tight, "Those are some nasty scars y'go' there..."
"Cam? Dogs," Troxel directed and nodded to the back room. The nightmare that was the search for the doctor was a tender subject, and he didn't know quite how Zeke felt about it.
"Yeah yeah," Cam worked his way past Zeke, hobbling slightly on the prosthetic but using mostly his crutches, "Ooh! Ooh, Trox, offer'm somma m'flask!"
"Cam, no. That's a ******** biohazard," Harrison called back over his shoulder and opened the fridge squinting, "He's drivin' anyway. So no tea... Hoooow do you feel about chocolate milk? Apple juice?"
"Trox, d'y'think he's five?!" Chastising from the back room, the sound of kibble hitting three tin bowls and the growling and whining going silent in anticipation.
Harrison had the decency to flush and glanced over at Zeke. "I'm having Chia seed smoothie mixed with pomegranate and blueberry... Sound any good?"
The taller man smiled, shaking up the blender bottle filled with germinating chia seeds before adding the juice. He left an empty glass and the mixed drink in front of the raver.
"I'll go grab the case," He said quickly, jogging off up the stairs by the foray, "Help yourself to that or anything in the fridge!" He called down.
Cam managed to hobble back, resting against the breakfast nook and keeping Zeke under a concerned gaze.
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:17 pm
So the big, rugged guy had a soft spot? Zeke's smile stretched in response to Cam's words about him being a stray Trox couldn't resist, but he didn't speak any thoughts aloud lest he accidentally embarrassed the oldest man in the room. They did strike a cord with Zeke though; one of the newest Lab members shared something in common with his boyfriend. Rough and gruff and sour looking on the outside (or so Zeke had been told, though he had never seen that for himself), but a softie and a sweetheart on the inside.
"Hey, Cam. You a pilot too or...ah." The mention of the scars was unexpected and thus made Zeke rub his right forearm when the handshake ended, his smile tightening a touch around the edges. "Yeah they're doozies all right." Most people averted their eyes - or tried to - when catching sight of his arms but Zeke had to figure that the guy was down a limb and that would certainly make him a little bold to say the least. Trox's clipped words made Zeke turn and he waved a hand to brush away the elephant in the room as Cam went on to do what he was told. "It's okay. They're there and they aren't leaving any time soon, but I'm used to weird looks so it doesn't bother me any." Besides, he could leave out just how he got them if asked and not be anywhere close to being a liar.
At the mention of a flask Zeke raised a pierced brow with amused curiosity, but the look on Trox's face and his choice of words closed that door just as quickly as it opened. Zeke's amusement lingered though as these two were quite a pair; a real odd couple. If they were military buddies Zeke had to wonder if the rest of their platoon was something out of the movies.
Maybe 'Stripes'. Though Trox didn't seem to be the one to stand in front of a troop and shout 'razzle dazzle!' at the top of his lungs. Zeke had to press his hand to his lips at the very thought, lest he bust out laughing and come off as loonier than he actually was. He was grateful for the suggestions thrown his way and even more for Cam's snark from the back room. Zeke laughed freely and easily at that.
"Sounds great! I'm the kind of guy who tries anything once, so if you're offering something new or foreign, I'm all for it!" Chia seed made him think of those Chia Pet commercials that showed up every year right after Thanksgiving, like some official marker saying 'yes, Christmas is now on its way because we're airing these again'. Blueberry and pomegranate - the latter ingredient making him think to the Soul Glass waiting in the case he had brought with him - were just plain delicious. Watching Trox, the end result to this mixture looked something like liquidized strawberries what with all the seedlings suspended in the juice. It was a curious looking thing, but also something that looked mighty tasty.
"Thanks for the offer, but just the juice is fine!" He didn't want to impose. Zeke was the sort of man you'd have to damn near bully before he'd touch someone else's fridge and even then he'd still likely have second thoughts on if it was okay. Trox took off and Zeke leaned back against the counter, pouring himself a glass of that strange concoction. He held it up to the light and gave it a swirl like a wine taster would a fine vintage then took his first taste.
"Damn that's good." It was delicious, more to the point, and the chia seeds had an oddly satisfying pulpy yet tapioca pearl-like consistency. He just might have to ask where one could purchase the little seedlings without the little clay dog or cat that usually came along with them. Zeke licked his lips and took in another mouthful just as Cam came back into the room. The vet raised his glass to the other man and smiled anew as best he could with chia drink-filled cheeks.
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:44 pm
Camille gave Zeke a very concerned look at the filled cheek grin, scrunching back in worry that some of the juice would squirt out. Awful juice, it was all healthy and bridging on cultist paleo diet he feared Troxel would get dragged into. Crossfit was good in theory but bad in hive-mindish ways. He grinned none the less, still concerned about the forearms. He pulled his flask out from his back pocket and raised it in a cheers way before taking a swig, coughing into his elbow and re-pocketing it with a sour face, finally able to address Zeke's question.
"Nah, the FAA has strict policies about the number of legs required to fly an aircraft," Cam snapped his fingers as if to say 'awe shucks', and grinned, "So does the Army really... H'was a combat medic- then wen' on t'be a flight medic."
Cam looked to the countertop, tracing patterns in the granite with his finger tips and licked his lips before taking a breath, "Y'see m' grea' gran'maw fancied herself a shaman type healuh. Thick cajun yenno? An' m'Granmawmaw believed she could pray d'cancuh outta people. She knew somuva things m'grea' granmaw taught..."
He rubbed his hands, picking at the callouses and looked back up at zeke. "So h'really wan'ed t'be a nurse, yenno? Continue th'tradition. Bu' ain' got money or time fo'tha'. Trox foun' me, pu'me through the medic program," He grinned big, "funny how th'incentives go t'use y'skills once y'gettin' paid t'learn somethin' y'love."
He tapped his knuckles against the counter nodding, "Yeah, it'll be good. H'gotta cream tha' h'made up f'm'leg. 'S good. I-uh. H'll be righ' back."
Harrison took that moment to make his entrance, gently placing the case on the counter and popping it open, touching both the glittering rings and the swirling soul. He looked after Cam before glancing at Zeke.
"Good stuff, right? And uh, sorry about him, he's recovering from some stuff..." Troxel returned his attention to the case, "So. I thought I'd have to pay a fine for this-- Trigger, defended me against a pretty nasty swan. Only th'swan wasn't swan like- It didn't get wet, it glowed and s**t, Zeke. It looked like an ice sculpture before it melted away..."
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:25 pm
Only a little smoothie slipped out and it was quickly wiped away on the back of Zeke's hand. The vet swallowed fast in order to avoid choking as the look on Cam's face was too damn funny before the flight medic hid it behind a flask and a hard alcohol cough.
"Ah yeah..." A sheepish look passed over the veterinarian and he rubbed at the back of his neck even though the other man seemed in good spirits regardless. He listened to Cam's tale about his occupation and how he got there, deciphering the words through the thick accent fairly well. It must have been thanks to Neil that he had gotten used to such heavy dialects and figuring out what meant what. Brad too, especially when the Italian slipped back into his own accent on certain special occasions.
"Glad to hear you got to accomplish your dream, even if it was in a roundabout kind of way." Zeke grinned back at Cam. So long as you got there, what did it matter just how you did it? If you worked hard to do what you loved, you earned it and every penny that came from the career in question in Zeke's opinion. He had done very much the same, though his degree and life's work came from long nights of studying, cramming until his eyes felt like they would burst from his sockets, and grabbing at every scholarship and loan he had pass by. It had been tough, borderline grueling, and moderately painful on some occasions, but most certainly worth it.
The vet gave the flight medic a little wave as he hobbled off, turning to Trox when the other man returned with his borrowed case in hand. Zeke had almost forgotten that the medic had taken the case with him when he went to pick up the empties, but luckily he had caught himself before making it farther than the front doors with the two cases he had nabbed. One had been placed haphazardly inside the lobby doors and the other - now filled - sat on the floor, temporarily forgotten now that Harrison had his own case opened wide for Zeke to see inside.
"Whoa," Zeke breathed in awe, attention immediately going to the Soul Glass and the dark red swirl caught inside its bulbous bottom. His smile tugged high at one corner of his mouth and the vet just had to set his drink down and gently pull the larger of the two items free. When his palm pressed to the glass orb, the raver immediately got the feeling that this was no ordinary thing - whatever it was. This was confirmed by Trox's choice of words following his apology.
"It's okay, he's just quirky." Zeke flipped the Soul Glass upside down, holding onto its metal topper like an ice cream cone. "This however...It definitely doesn't feel normal." It was like Cesc's soul. The creature the Dawn Frei's soul had been taken from was one of myth and magic, but also a living and breathing thing. Revontulet's soul had had the former sensation to it, but because her soul was that of a stone it lacked the feeling of being alive. The pomegranate soul tucked away near his feet was wholly the latter. A natural thing; wonderful in its own way, but not mythical. This soul was akin to Cesc entirely.
"That's definitely no ordinary swan. If it had been, you would've still had a body on your hands." Zeke continued to touch over the glass base of the contraption, his light brown eyes flicking between it and Troxel. He sucked on his lip ring a little, but he couldn't think of any swan or creature that looked like a swan that didn't get wet, glowed, and subsequently melted away upon death. "If this was any other time I'd say 'Dr. Kyou will figure it out!' but he's still in a coma and I've never even heard of any sort of mythical swan. I mean, I can try researching when I get back to the Lab, but so far I'm drawing a blank." He frowned apologetically, but until he could crack open one of Kyou's big encyclopedias or simply get online it was looking like the 'Soul:' line of the documents Trox would have to sign would remain blank...or else have 'Swan?' written upon it.
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:50 pm
Harrison held up a finger, excitement bright on his face. This was the face of a man forced off of work for a few weeks and with no better way to expend time than google search mystical water fowl. He smiled, brightly and pulled out his journal which kept the encounter in ink. He turned the book to Zeke, sketches scrawled poorly in ballpoint pen.
"That's just it. It sure as s**t wasn't ordinary," He tapped to the bottom of the page, "It was iridescent and almost crystal like, right? Well once I sifted through some serious ice sculptors and--"
The pilot paused face turning very grave, mouth and eyes dropping in no time. This was a very serious matter and mildly terrifying for the older man. He didn't play well on the computer and wasn't quite informed of its complexities.
"People draw pictures... of things. Like of things, it was ridiculous. Let's just say, I've never watched it, but I now know Black Swan-- yenno the one with Portman-- too intimately," Harrison shuddered and waved the matter away.
"So I spent days on this, really wracking my brain. And then one of my buddies at work- He looked up charms or some crap on my laptop. Something for his wife, Nivedita-- And there was a little charm of a tiny hindu like bird? Tell me that I'm grasping at straws here," Harrison said emphatically as he drummed his fingers over the bulbous surface, "I'd call this thing a Hamsa fowl..."
Troxel pulled back, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding because this was fact. Camille took that moment to enter the kitchen, shaving kit under his arm was he crutched over to the island. He looked from the bulb to the journal, curiosity dropping form his face and a dead look of resignation entered.
"Oh, good. He told you the bird theory."
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:27 am
For a moment, Zeke wondered if Trox had indeed been attacked by some wedding party's ice sculpted swan. He quirked a brow at the older man's sudden eccentricity - due to amusement more than anything - but his other brow was lofted as well when the pilot just as quickly turned serious, giving the vet quite the surprised look as Trox spun his yarn. It seemed the man had gone on quite the hunt to try and figure out just what he had captured.
"A Hindu-like bird huh?" Zeke sucked on his lip ring again, trying hard to recall anything and everything from his college world religions and philosophy class. Hinduism was polytheistic like the ancient Greeks and Egyptians and through that they had their fair share of myths and monsters as well as deities. He couldn't recall any swans, but then again he couldn't recall much else off the top of his head other than Kali, Ganesha, and Vishnu. When Trox named the bird he had found, Zeke could only shrug.
"Might be, but then again it could be something else entirely." The raver scratched at the beard on his chin, looking once more at the bottle that was now being drummed on by its owner. "It does give me a place to start looking though. Let me write that down..."
Zeke stooped over and pulled the case he had brought with him up onto the counter next to the one Trox had borrowed. The vet snapped open the top and pulled it open, revealing a second set of Essence and Soul Glass within - the latter being as filled as Troxel's. The Essence was a jar filled with many tiny raindrops that were suspended in their space. In the light they glittered and provided a stark contrast to the soul-filled bottle sitting beside them. Like Trox's capture, the fog inside the orb was red, but unlike the pilot's this one was much, much brighter. The vivid red soul swirled slowly in its temporary home, hardly bothered by the light from overhead or being revealed to the world.
"H-A-M-S-A..." The word was written down on a sticky note stuck on the front of Trox's folder, which Zeke had pulled from behind the foam on the top half of the case. Any spelling errors would be revealed in time, but for now it would suffice. He also wrote down what Harrison said about the bird appearing iridescent and crystal-like. "Did you notice anything else about it? Like was it particularly large or did it have any markings on it?" Anything at all would be a boon in narrowing down the search.
"Oh, good. He told you the bird theory."
Zeke turned around, smiling as easily as ever and nodding for what it was worth.
"He did. And hey, it's a place for me to start looking back at the Lab. Dr. Kyou's got all these books on every mythological and magical thing you could ever imagine. If it's not in there, then I guess Trox here was drunk off his a** or having a fever dream." He looked over his shoulder to grin; there was no harm meant by his little tease. Still, he was curious by Cam's sudden shift in tone and demeanor regarding the identity of the soul. Zeke gestured to the duller of the red souls.
"Got any ideas on what it could be, Cam? I'll take every first impression and pot shot guess I can get!"
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Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 7:59 pm
"WELL!" Cam said leaning heavily on his left hip, halting his waist from swaying from side to side, " In th'professional opinion of dis medic it looks oddly like when a snipuh hits y'buddy in the artery...."
Harrison took a slow breath, reaching out and gripping Camille's shoulder before hissing a noise of warning, "Cam, c'mon."
"Oh an' it kinda looks like a nosebleed."
"We get it, it looks like blood. Do you need help with the dogs?" Harrison asked with the semblance of a plea, gripping Cam's shoulder and wiggling it a bit before patting him and pointing to the mud room.
"They's fed, ain'they?" Cam retorted, hands rubbing over his face as he stood and turned himself to exit the kitchen.
"Yeah but they need to go out," Troxel was having none of this bullshit in front of pleasant company. Cam merely bobbed his head up and down a few times before swinging his body forward and crutching out of the kitchen. He feigned a grin towards Zeke and tilted his head slightly before nodding slowly, "Yes, a hindu like bird. Cosmos, Prana, the whole deal. I thought it was fitting with the rings thing but go figure. I'm sure you'll let me know either way. Pretty excited now, it's beginning to feel real."
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Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Zeke's smile vanished when Cam started going on, and was replaced with a look of half shock, half confusion. His jaw moved as though trying to reply to the young man's words, but no sound came out until a few moments after the crutch-using medic had left the kitchen.
"I, uh...Well okay then." The vet gave a little shake of his mohawk-topped head, clearing his mind of the loop that reply had thrown him through. Automatically, Zeke's left hand rose and rubbed at the back of his neck, unsure of how to exactly respond to the man who was now no longer in the room. I guess it does look like blood, doesn't it?
Trox said something and Zeke gave a start, sucking in a breath before turning to the taller man. He put a smile on his face as best he could though it was clear that for a few moments the expression was a touch forced. All the same, the vet nodded to what part of the pilot's words he caught, doing so with extra gusto when Harrison mentioned the vet getting into contact with him when he found out the identity of the soul.
"Yeah I'll definitely give you a call when I know. I'm not gonna keep you in the dark, that's for sure!" He bounced once on his heels, bringing himself up to speed again. "Though personally I'm fond of surprises. Would be kind of fun to not know until he or she is here, eh?"
Would definitely be a different way to go about things. Usually the Guardians who were surprised by their Raevan's souls were the ones who were given a Frei instead of the usual empty bottle and Fel Essence vial or jar. To have one get the latter and not know; that didn't happen every day. Trox was sure to be surprised by the future Frei's gender unless he wanted to know in advance but a one-two punch of gender and soul would have been sure to be amusing at the very least.
"Speaking of he's or she's...I'd start looking at baby naming sites pretty soon if I were you." The vet's grinned, which quickly turned cheeky and he tossed the pilot a wink. "They'll be here before you know it, you know!" Not to say the names Trox settled on before the birth would be used. Zeke had made a list of names but all of them had vanished from his mind upon seeing Anya, leaving only one that had fit her look just so. Maybe the same would happen for his friend here, or maybe his list wouldn't leave him and one of several preselected options would just be perfect. It would be interesting to see, and only made the veterinarian that much more excited for the upcoming Raevan. He looked to the Soul Glass and its blood-colored capture sitting in the case and cocked his head, grin spreading a little farther across his features. "Whatcha think, Trox? Is this mystery bird gonna be a boy Raevan or a girl?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:12 pm
Harrison barked out a laugh and shook his head. The gender of the thing had been a minor weight on his mind compared to the care of the actual Raevan. How would it eat, how will it sleep, what will it enjoy doing. He only wanted to provide a safe and happy home for the newborn. Someone he could impress upon to do good for the world. He lost himself in that moment and screwed his face slightly before jolting out of his own headspace and looking wide eyed at Zeke. Right. Questions asked.
"Well. I don't really think I can judge. I'm not good at sexing water fowl... And I don't think moonstones," the pilot started, gesturing as if picking the substance out of a hat, the aurora Frei popping to his mind "Has a sex. So even if it's determined that way. I wouldn't know..."
He smiled, leaning against the counter and pouring himself a chia smoothie, slurping at it as he considered the rust and blood red soul. He reached a long finger over, tracing the glass gently, a nurturing air about him as he watched mesmerized.
"Whatever it is, whatever they're named, I jus'wannem to be happy, safe an' healthy," Harrison stated with another drink from his smoothie, standing up to his full height and slipping his free hand into his pocket.
"So... wha'else d'y'need from me or should I start the nervous new dad thing?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 6:02 pm
Zeke lofted a brow at the mention of moonstones and the way Trox gestured when picking that out of thin air. Maybe he had met Revon and her Guardian, Doucette. All the same, he chuckled at the idea of sexing birds - something he as a veterinarian knew how to do - and shook his head.
"It's actually not done like that. It's kinda weird, actually, but so long as the soul doesn't come from a single-gender species, the Raevan has the option of becoming the opposite gender to the thing that was captured. So like..." He looked over at Trigger and gestured to the dog. "A male dog might become a female Raevan or vice versa. And if there's no gender, like the moonstones you mentioned, the Raevan still becomes either male or female." Like he said, it was weird, but he didn't know the ins and outs of just how that part of Raevan growth occurred. It happened though and did so time and again.
Trox's continuation was something Zeke quite liked to hear. Having felt much the same as the older man standing next to him, the vet felt a stronger tug of like for Harrison. This wasn't to say he already didn't have a high opinion of the man, but sharing sentiments was always a plus in Zeke's book. This guy was going to be a damn fine Guardian, he could feel it.
"Well...I only need you to sign the return forms, really." Here Zeke turned around and opened the file, flipping to the correct page and pointing out where the pilot had to sign and initial. "Other than that, I guess from here on out it's more what do you need from me? If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them." With the Raevan now so close to being on the way, and several filled bottles under his belt, Zeke was certain Trox would have at least one or two Frei-related topics on his mind. This was one of Zeke's favorite parts of his job - he liked being a fountain of knowledge and helping others prepare for their future kin. "If you don't, then I think we're all set! I'll just tuck the paperwork into your case and then I'll be out of your hair!"
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