[R] And the way you look tonight (********* + Nico) [FIN]

[frayedflower]

So, see, here was a funny story.

Nico had been minding his own business, really. He thought he was doing that man a favor by jumping on him - because then he'd dropped the leash, and hypothetically that dropped leash should have led to the dog running to the beautiful lady out for a jog. He'd seen them both day in and day out, almost crossing paths but never quite intersecting. Such a tragic romance. Just the sort of thing he was here to help remedy. Nico, the romantic! Nico, the hero!

Nico, the lummox gasping for breath as he clung feebly from a branch after the beast from hell chased him up and down the length of the park and back again, his owner long since out of sight and the monster that apparently ran on batteries instead of flesh and bone. "Back, you wretched excuse of an Energizer Bunny!" he called down, slapping a paw over his hat to keep the wind from stealing it away into the waiting jaws of that... that thing.

LizzyMoo

 

[LizzyMoo]

It had been time for a snack, and where as many of her fellow Mauvians were not willing to go diving in the trash for some good eats, such an activity was not beneath the chubby manx cat.

That had been her choice of activity when she heard the barking of a dog nearby. At first, she had no plans on investigating, since dogs barked, it was what they did.

Yet, when the sound didn't falter in the slightest, it made her natural curiosity bubble up a bit. So ********* head peeked out from the trashcan, peering out at her surroundings as she held a stray strip of overly crisped bacon that had been carelessly thrown away.

The dog was quite a large fellow, and had chased a feline up a tree. However, upon a slightly more careful inspection, ********* green eyes narrowed as she recognized the star shape upon the kit's head.

Crawling back out of the trashcan and onto the rim, the manx then very evidently dropped her prize on the ground with a very noticeable "OOPS!"

Hopefully it would get the dog's attention. Who could resist bacon, even if it was burnt?!  

[frayedflower]

The dog stopped mid-bark and turned on its haunches - and in its line of vision, that was less a slightly burned piece of bacon and more a tiny little slither of the doggie garden of eden that had gone tumbling carelessly to the ground. Its tail wagging, now, it darted towards the can for its prize.

Nico wasn't closing his eyes at all, but if he had been, he opened them when he realized the barking had gotten quieter. There, he saw the source of his crispy salvation at a distance - like Venus rising from the shell, there she was rising from the can, the most glorious little stardrop of a cat he had even lain eyes on.

That was about as far as his line of thought got when he realized that, in its haste, the dog had sort of over-shot its goal and headbutted the shell garbage shell, leading to a litter strewn, yelping, chaotic mess.

LizzyMoo

 

[LizzyMoo]

It seemed as if her solid ground had been compromised. However, ********* was a cat, and much like the vast majority of cats, when she felt the ground beneath her falling from under her, she jumped a bit and landed rather solidly upon her feet. No grace, just a solid landing upon four feet.

Shaking off her fur in a manner akin to a canine, the manx then padded over to her momentary canine companion. True, some dogs were not friendly, giving a legitimate reason for felines to be afraid. However, the manx had grown accustomed to Ellie's own Australian Shepherd who was a bundle of energy.

"...I'm sorry about that..." she cautiously apologized to the dog, maintaining a respectable distance. And as tempting as it was, she kept an even bigger distance between herself and the burnt bacon.

Her stomach was weeping.  

[frayedflower]

Anyone else would have seen that graceless, solid landing for what it was - but in Nico's eyes, she might as well have flowed gracefully through the air with the wind elegantly blowing her fur. There were probably also birds. They'd have to be doves. Chubby, delicious looking, cherub doves. Also maybe a rainbow or a sudden blast of moonlight.

Even more breath taking was the way she spoke to the dog - and the dog just let it happen, instead inhaling the bit of crunchy meat like it was the only thing he'd ever eaten in his whole life (it wasn't) and then sat back licking its jowls. Its owner appeared a moment later, grabbing the leash and throwing ********* a brief, skeptical look before he gently tugged his companion along with him. "I can't believe you. You ask like you've never seen a cat before, " he chided as they vanished down the trail.

No lady in sight for him, Nico noted with an annoyed little twitch of his tail. But no matter. That love story could wait for another day. He slid awkwardly carefully down the trunk of the tree. Deliberately, he took a second to tug his hat off, lick his paw, and swipe it over the fur between his ears before plunking it back into place. Had to look presentable if he was going to be worthy of this... this glorious creature's company. To just see her made the words well up in his heart and pour so freely from his mouth.

"They say the sun descends each day, but you my lady hath shown me the error of my way, and I beg thee, plead thee to stay and not stray, " he purred, bowing deeply to her with a well placed whisk of his tail.

"Thou that has given so much to me,
Give one thing more–a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if thy blessings had spare days;
But such a heart, whose pulse may be
Thy praise."

LizzyMoo

 

[LizzyMoo]

Being the seasoned Mauvian she was, when the dog's owner approached, she easily turned off her words and merely cooed a bit in his direction. Once the coast was clear, she turned towards the kit, who had already reached the base of the tree.

Her mouth popped open to speak, but soon enough shut as this mere kit let poetry flow from his own maw.

Once he had finished, the manx sat herself up on her hind legs so she could attempt to clap with her paws in a pleased manner. "How adorable! You are quite good at poetry! Better than me at least! Does the poet have a name? My name is ********* set her paws back down as she tilted her head expectantly. The Mauvian kit had clearly caught her attention.  

[frayedflower]

Adorable. This piece of heaven wrapped in a blanket of fur and stars had called him adorable - and deigned to applaud him no less! Go ahead mongrel dog, devour him whole now; life was assuredly not going to get much better than this very moment when a muse herself spared him such praise with her rapturous tenor.

"I am sure there is nothing you cannot do, my lady, " he purred, bowing simply his head this time. "My moniker is Nicodemus, or Nico, my dear..." What rhymed with Nico? Damn the heavens, why?! Why forsake his silver tongue now in his time of more desperate need?! Pico? No. Lico? No. Nico? Said that already.

AH-HA! "Chico." Yes. Saved in the knick of time from that abysmal rhyme. (Why must he be cursed with such a name? - although he really was rather fond of his own name, but the world needed more words to pair with it.) "*********, what an inspiring act of heroism you did ensue - my words would truly be perished if not for you. You've slain the beast with such crisp refuse, and come before me to act as muse."

LizzyMoo

 

[LizzyMoo]

********* let out an airy giggle to linger on the air as the kit continued to rhyme and explain his gratitude. "I am always willing to help out a fellow Mauvian if they need any assistance. And based off how much that dog was barking... it was easy to see you needed the help!"

Even if it did cost her that precious slice of burnt bacon.

Speaking of that bacon, it seemed as if her trash can had been compromised, garbage now scattered about. Upon a casual glance, it was easy to see there were very few tidbits of real food, though there was the light cardboard container that had held the bacon earlier, which also had some ketchup clumped up in one corner.

Ever willing to take such an opportunity, the manx inquired "So, any reason for you to be out here today aside from being chased by a dog?" As she spoke, she trotted (with a playful jingling escaping her collar) towards the cardboard container.  

[frayedflower]

Nico crumpled just a little, though it was just as much due to ********* musical giggle as it was to his own mild embarrassment when she pointed out how desperate he'd been for help. It was true; he hadn't exactly been a knight in shining armor in that moment, more like a shivering fluff ball atop a tree.

However, a dog was unlike the very forces of evil, even if they were only a few degrees divided - and what was so wrong with accepting help from a girl?! Why, he need not abide by traditional gender norms! If he'd been capable enough to save himself, he may have never met her at all!

How very inspiring. He was going to have to sit down and compose a lengthy piece on this whole exchange later. "You are such an inspiration, " he sighed dreamily, his tail flicking.

Oh, but there was more to say! He couldn't very well let the lady's question die in the air! "Here, there, anywhere... as a famous wanderer once said, 'Always, I had alone to speak of my trouble each morning before dawn. There is none now living to whom I dare clearly speak of my innermost thoughts.' Do you see, lady muse, as I live by no ruse?"

Because surely she could gather that he sort of lived here from that, right?

LizzyMoo

 

[LizzyMoo]

Though she seemed preoccupied with a clump of ketchup she began to lick up, ********* was still listening. Her ears seemed perked up and swiveled in a manner that could still hear her little companion.

The prose did have her thinking for a bit, however, when she seemed to piece together the meaning, she easily chirped "Oh, the wanderer's lifestyle then? Truth be told, that is sort of my thing too... I do have senshi I can stay with, but I try to not overstay my welcome. Though, some of my girls would argue I couldn't ever overstay my welcome!"

Anemone and Ridley both seemed to go into withdrawal without a ********* about.

Seemingly finished with her bit of ketchup, she turned back to him. "If you need any help finding any shelter at any point, I am sure I could give you a few addresses that are pretty reliable about 'stray cats'...though I am sure you have already got several places you can temporarily call 'home.'"  

[frayedflower]

Her girls? The question occurred to him just how many she might have... what lucky, lucky girls they must be. ********* must have been as graceful as a swan when she awakened them. He could just see it now. Stars shining. A beam of pristine moonlight filtering down through feathery weeping willows.

Focus, focus! She was just too inspiring! Curse this blessing, bless this curse of untold tales still to be spun! Look at her there, lapping up the silky substance as smooth as dark blood rubies. It was like she had taken the sheen of those jewels into her very essence.

"Shelter, " he mused, his ear flicking thoughtfully. Truth be told, he didn't really have a solid place anymore, but... there was something roguish and endearing about a wanderer's lifestyle! Romantic! Look at *********, she agreed! "Sometimes, I visit the hospital to visit those in need - but I am my own home, and my own steed."

LizzyMoo

 

[LizzyMoo]

A hospital seemed like a suitable enough place for shelter in an emergency situation. However, how practical it was for a cat in such a place was a whole different story.

With a smile, she responded "Well, the offer still stands if you ever find yourself in need, Nico!"

Having done her heroic duties and slurped up the last tidbits of consumables in the area, the round manx bobbed her head up and down.

"Well, I need to be on my way, Nico! I have a feeling I will be seeing you around!"  

[frayedflower]

In need, in need, she was a hero indeed... look at her there with the wind billowing through her fur. It was such a pity to see her depart, but a goddess of the muse could never be expected to stay in one place so humble as this for long.

"My thanks are ten fold, my lady of gold." Gold, you know, like she was precious. Get it? "Until next we meet, my heart shall long to greet." And with that, she was gone, departed from his sight - but certainly not his soul.

LizzyMoo