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 Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:15 am
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:35 am
Grumpy. That was Marrow's mood today. A particularly pestering caretaker decided for the young hybrid that he wouldn't be sleeping in past noon. A few kicks and snaps of his teeth were thrown in the elder's direction but with her persistence the Freshling got up. Perhaps that would teach him not to stay up so late under his blankets with a bit of magic illuminating his sketchbook. Then again, Marrow rarely learned from his mistakes. He was known to do things in a poor manner many times before he got it through his thick skull that perhaps this way isn't the best way. Such a stubborn little Geist Litch this one was. The kind of Freshling that makes most older Nightmares want to pull out their hair and curse to the gods. Marrow reveled in the way they would fuss over his naughty behavior though.
It was time for recreation. By far the most enjoyable moment in Marrow's day because he was free to do whatever he pleased. Well, to some extent. Yesterday he had been scolded for stealing yet another plush toy from another young Nightmare. After a good tug and a few rips from the Litch-like nails the caretakers returned the toy to it's rightful Freshy. A serious time out had been given but did Marrow reflect on how he had done wrong? No, of course not. It only fueled a fierce little temper that the child was burdened with.
So here was Marrow with his big red eyes scanning the play yard in search of a vict- a friend to play with. It almost felt like fate when Marrow laid his eyes on a meek looking Baphomet Freshling with ginger hair and the kind of sweater a tree-hugger would wear. An easy target for a malicious little firecracker like Marrow. The hybrid child sauntered over to the fluffy footed Freshling he had set his sight on and circled him once, twice, three times before stopping in his tracks right before the other. Almost as though he were sizing up prey. What a naughty little geist-litch he was.
"I like the tree on your sweater," He began with a big toothy grin. The boy clearly wanted a reaction to what he was about to say next but he spoke the words as if his question couldn't be anymore common. "You think it can catch fire like a tree can?" The flicker of amusement in his eyes was probably obvious. His implications were morbid but then again so was Marrow. "We should test it."
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 1:27 pm
Marzipanz Ooooh, Marrow is gonna HATE Kohaku xd
A few more notes were taken before they set the notebook aside and closed their eyes, resting their hands on their knees as they took deep slow breaths and just enjoy a moment of peace. Kohaku's face was serene as they listened to the breeze and the sounds of play, not at all disturbed by the shrieks of the other children as they freely expressed their enjoyment. They weren't even bothered when they heard the footsteps of someone approaching their area and start circling around them though their ears did perk up a bit, curious as to what exactly they were doing. It wasn't until the freshling spoke that Kohaku opened their dark honey colored eyes, looking up at the hybrid and his toothy grin that spoke of pure mischief, soon followed by words that only confirmed that. The baphomet stared at Marrow with a curious calm, glancing upwards for a moment in thought before they nodded slowly to themselves.
"Considering that most clothing is made out of plant material, and those materials are flammable, I'd say there's a likely chance that it would indeed burn like the tree depicted." Their voice was a sort of quiet calm that had an old tone to it, a gentle smile crossing their face. "Though I don't think it would be wise to set fire to ones clothing whilst they are still wearing it. Hair, fur and skin are rather sensitive to flames, as well. Though perhaps that is your intent?" Kohaku gave a sideways glance to the hybrid that had a knowing air about it, those eyes looking deeply at them as though he were assessing them.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:26 pm
Marrow was taken aback to say the very least. The way this Baphy answered with perfect poise and the utmost tranquility. He had just suggested a heinous and morbid experiment and yet this little ginger had explained cold hard facts as if his request wasn't batty at all. Marrow was searching for a disturbed or outraged reaction but all he found with Kohaku was complete peace and clarity. This simply wouldn't do.
"Excuse me?" the hybrid Freshling retorted with such a foul expression on his face. As if he had bitten into a rotten apple at the complex and effective answer. "I know that! I'm not stupid!" How dare this hooved little smarty pants think he was that dense. "Do you not get that I was trying to light you on fire on purpose? Is your noggin filled with rocks?" As Marrow asked such a rude question he reached over without reflecting on consequence and grabbed on of Kohaku's horns and yanked him closer to give his head a firm but swift knocking on with his bony knuckles just to check.
Yaruka Oh, Marrow is already irritated. This is going to be fun. XD
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 9:00 pm
Those dark honey eyes kept their sideways glance at the little hybrid as they saw him be stunned by their words. Kohaku expected this reaction; it was a typical one for them to encounter when others heard how they spoke. If anything, it gave the little baphomet a sense of satisfaction to see that they had momentarily caused the boy to pause, a small smile crinkling the corners of their mouth. The foul expression on the freshling's face combined with the tone in their voice told Kohaku that they had touched a nerve somehow. While that wasn't the baphomet's intention, it did seem to give them some insight to a potential issue that the child had.
While they were momentarily absorbed in observing the freshling they were taken off-guard when one of their horns was suddenly grabbed and they were yanked closer to the angry boy. A slightly startled noise escaped their lips before they felt the firm knocks to their head (which sounded hard, no doubt.) Well....that had hurt a little. Kohaku had shifted to their feet so they didn't put stress on their neck while their horn was being held captive, their brow narrowing just a little....and yet they didn't make a move to get out of the hold. "First: I never implied that you were less than intelligent. Second: Yes, I did have an inclination that you intended to burn me on purpose. Third: It'd be rather silly to imply that either of our heads are filled with rocks, or else we would not be able to talk." Their voice still maintained that strange calm that seemed to have set the boy off, though slightly strained due to the position they were currently in. "And finally..." That was all the warning they'd give before they twisted themselves sharply to the right in an attempt to get themselves out of the boy's grip, lifting their body upright in a rather flowing motion once they had balance again. The baphomet would glance over their shoulder at the boy, their dark honey eyes locked on him while they STILL had that serene smile on their face. "...I'm sensing some hostility here that is, quite frankly, uncalled for."
They had just....stated it so plainly; no hint of malice that is meant to hurt and no sense that this had perturbed them in any way. With that Kohaku was then stepping back to where they had placed their notebook and was picking it up again, opening it to a fresh page. Their pencil was quickly in their hand and they started writing down things, turning to face the little hybrid while they wrote things down. "Would you mind telling me your name, please?" They looked up to the boy then, face still peaceful as they politely inquired on that gentle tone of voice.Marzipanz Hehe....I think this is gonna be a competition of who breaks who first.
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:23 am
Marrow's grip was tight, and would possibly cause a pang of discomfort if not for the fact that it was simply placed atop the Baphomet's horn. Perhaps a bit of pressure could be felt but nothing that could translate into pain from such a sturdy protruding limb like this. Maybe Marrow was trying to hurt the other in hopes of getting a whimper from him. The closest thing he received was the tiniest sound of distress from Kohaku which should have been taken as some sort of victory but it wasn't enough. Not for Marrow at least. Not now that this Freshling before him had made him feel so out of line and yet interesting enough to poke at some more. Any passerby would clearly see that Marrow was doing most of the prodding but it only got him more and more irritated as he continued to provoke the other.
Kohaku spoke, and much to Marrow's dismay he found himself becoming more baffled and enraged by just how calm and serene their voice was. It was soothing in a way, but that was exactly the kind of thing the little geist-litch tried to counter. This was almost how the caretakers spoke to him and he loathed such authority. They thought they were all so superior to him, didn't they? Just like how he assumed Kohaku thought he was better just because he had a bit more poise and fancier words in his head. Marrow would teach him a lesson on trying to show off and be a smartypants when bigger, badder Freshies were around to snuff out that cockiness. Of course, none of this was actually how Marrow thought it was. His mind had a knack for warping things. A screw must have been loose in that mind of his.
POOF. Almost like magic the little Baphy twisted his head in just the right angle and out slipped that horn from Marrow's death grip. They didn't even seem phased by it as they stepped back to retrieve a sort of journal- no wait, why was the ginger Baphomet looking at him that way as he wrote? Was he observing him?! Inspecting him like some new specimen? An experiment? This only made Marrow's tendrils flicker with a bright red glow and flair erratically. A display that matched his furious glare, all while Kohaku requested that Marrow tell him his name. "Why would I tell you my name? You've being... you're being a brat!" In Marrow's mind that was the truth. The distraught expression on his face all the sudden proved that much. Despite all the grabbing and harassing he had done it was impossible for Marrow to see himself as a brat when he thought he was oh so clever and impressive. Them on the other hand. They were trying to rile him up he thought, and sadly it was working.
"I'm going to tell your caretaker on you. I'm going to tell them that you're.... that you're making fun of me. You're going to be punished for sure," he threatened with such a foul hiss in his tone.
Yaruka Oh my goodness! Kohaku! XD I'm dying, this is so great!
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2016 11:32 am
Kohaku could see that the hybrid boy was growing more aggitated each time the baphomet spoke. Their head tilted curiously to the side as they observed the angry, aggressive boy before them. They weren't annoyed by the boy's behavior....no, if anything they were intrigued and curious to discover why the boy acted this way. When the baphomet had requested his name the boy seemed to instantly try to turn the situation against Kohaku. They made a soft "Hmmm" sound and wrote a few more things down, speaking aloud to themselves as they did so. "Avoidant behavior.....transferrence through speech.....defensive against speech that suggests inferiority..." They wrote as they spoke, looking up at the boy with mild confusion at what he said next.
"Well....you can tell them if you wish but I doubt it will do much good." Kohaku shrugged and sat back down where they had been before, notebook still open and in their hands. "I've done nothing to make fun of you or treat you wish disrespect out of spite; I've only been answering questions and stating facts." The baphomet's voice never left its soothing tone, their face still as serene as ever. "If anything, the person who should be punished is you, my friend. I was sitting here enjoying the day when you came up to me with the intent to set me on fire. A little bit harsh, don't you think?" They looked at the boy with that sideways glance once again at the end of that question before they simply smiled. "Considering you haven't done any actual damage to me, though, I have no intent to turn you in to a caretaker." With that firmly stated Kohaku nodded and returned to jotting down notes in their notebook. "And I asked your name because I wanted to know it. If it makes you feel better, I'll tell you mine first; it's Kohaku."
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:23 am
Avoidant what? Tranferrence? Inferiority? All these big words were confusing the young hybrid who just wasn't up to Kohaku's level of intelligence just yet. He began to sizzle with anger, giving off a soft hiss as his red eyes narrowed. All Marrow could think about right now was taking a handful of dirt and throwing it in the tree-hugger's face. This little Baphomet was just asking for an injury of some kind at the hands of Marrow. Oh if only the mixed blooded baby would have jerked that horn of his a little harder. Maybe if Kohaku cried then he wouldn't have had the time to start analyzing him with his big brain.
"No, no! Not true. You were being mean to me! You were making fun of me with your ugly words! I'm not an Avoidant Transferrence Inferiority!" He thought these were all names that Kohaku was throwing at him in insult. Words that quickly got Marrow even more worked up and his red eyes were beginning to leak those tears of frustration. "I... I should not be punished!" He tried to defend but there was no doubt accuracy in 'Haku's words. "I wasn't going to light you on fire! I was asking a question. Hmph," he rubbed his little hands over his face in frustration in attempt to wipe away the grief. The Baphomet had a point. Thankfully, the other wasn't trying to throw him under the bus, so to speak. "Y-you wont tell on me?" he asked skeptically, arms crossing over his chest.
So this weirdo's name was Kohaku? Maybe Marrow could use this to his advantage at some point. "I... I'm Marrow. So you're not going to get me into trouble? Even though I talked about lighting you on fire? Swear it!" Maybe talking to this boy would be better than getting him worked up after all. Honestly, he shouldn't be pushing his luck after all the trouble he's been getting into lately.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 11:15 am
Even as the boy started hissing in anger, Kohaku was still writing down notes. The litch/geist hybrid displays an overtly aggressive approach to others. Could denote a desire to gain immediate attention? Transference through speech hints towards a "me against the world" point of view. These notes were jotted down as points of observation and theory only, of course; nothing can be fully applied without knowing more about the subject. However when the boy spoke again Kohaku looked up at him with a slightly raised eyebrow, their face shifting from serenity to mild confusion. Hearing what he said and then seeing those tears of frustration starting to come out, Kohaku then realized that this was a more delicate situation than they first thought.
"Oh....I see, you misunderstood me." Kohaku's expression softened to display genuine concern and kindness. "I wasn't using those words to make fun of you. They don't describe you as a person; they describe your behavior. Those words aren't meant to be mean or spiteful but rather tell me things about you by the way you act. I'm sorry if you thought I was trying to be hurtful." The words of apology were offered with sincerity, hoping they could ease the boy's mind a bit. Kohaku's head tilted curiously when it seemed as though their statement of the facts was starting to get through to the hybrid boy; his behavior shifted a little, even seeming hopeful for a moment that the baphomet wouldn't tell on him.....and then he said his name, which made them smile gently as they wrote it down at the top of the page in bigger letters. They nodded affirmatively before looking back up to the boy when he seemed to be trying to confirm that Kohaku wasn't going to go back on their word.
"I promise I won't tell on you, Marrow. Like I said, you didn't actually do it so I have no reason to feel like I should report you." They smiled softly with a nod before looking into Marrow's eyes with concern. "I will say, though, that not everyone thinks the way that I do. Some people will see words as much a genuine threat as actions. It scares them into thinking that they are really in danger." Kohaku was offering their words as gentle advice to the boy but they were wondering if perhaps he enjoyed seeing the reaction he could get from people. More notes were jotted down in the book: Aggressive behavior and speech could stem from the desire for a reaction from others; seeing fear in others gives him a sense of power where he feels powerless? Truly this conversation was proving very intriguing to the baphomet, their curiosity of how this boy's mind worked continuing to grow.....as well as a sense of concern should any of their assumptions be correct.
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:17 am
Kohaku was some sort of prodigy, that was for certain. Despite their youth the Baphomet was quite inquisitive and strangely accurate in their analyzing. Every note that was scribbled into the horned Freshling's journal was a fact. No exaggeration. No imagination butting into his observations. Marrow truly was a misunderstood child who acted out due to his inconsolable bitterness towards parental figures and any authority that tried to tell him what to do. Coming from the cache surely effected each stone differently and for Marrow his introduction in to this lonely life was one he took for granted. There were times in his lonely life where he wished he had never been awakened. What had been the point? He was a monster of a child and most of the time his acting out got him punishment. Rarely was Marrow ever praised, and it made him question why he was awakened in the first place. Truly this was a trouble that no Freshling should be burdened with.
It seemed Kohaku was trying to make up for the fact that he lit an agitated fire in the young hybrid's eyes- a fire that was burning with hatred in that moment. It was only fueled more as the goat-like Nightmare began to explain what it was that he was doing. Marrow couldn't believe his pointed ears. Perhaps this ginger Baphy was truly moronic and didn't understand the words coming out of his own mouth after all. "You couldn't possibly know a thing about me unless I tell you so! You have no idea who I am or what I feel so you can't say I'm none of those big fancy words. You don't know," he firmly stated what he thought. Despite it being wrong Marrow was set into his stubborn mindset.
The flickering tendrils were showing off just how disturbed the larger than normal Freshling was feeling. Maybe part of him feared that the Baphomet could truly see through his facade. No, that was nonsense! But what if? "I wasn't really going to light you on fire..." Marrow reassured once again, now feeling his emotions starting to stabilize. "I just... I wanted you to be uncomfortable. I ... I like it," he opened up just a tiny bit. Like leaving the metaphorical door open just a crack for Kohaku to take a peek inside. "Let me see that book," he demanded, pale red eyes locking onto the boy's journal. "Gimme it."
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 7:21 pm
Kohaku had never asked to be the way they were; they were brought into this world as a child of the cache and their mind swollen with curiosity and knowledge. They wanted to know all they could about their world to understand their place in it and purpose for this gift.....which was currently seeming more like a curse as Marrow angered simply because Kohaku was being who they were. The baphomet wouldn't apologize for being themselves but they would apologize for hurting someone unintentionally. If anything Kohaku wanted to use their abilities to help others somehow. Even though they were currently upsetting Marrow Kohaku wondered if perhaps they could help the angry young hybrid...
"Well....it's true that I don't know much about you on a personal level," They mused softly in response to what Marrow had said, nodding slowly as they looked down at their notebook and wrote more things down. "You'd be surprised, though, what a person's body language and way of speaking can tell you about how they think." They left it at that for now, not wanting to provoke Marrow much further if they could help it....
But then the hybrid spoke again, reassuring Kohaku that he didn't intend to set them on fire but merely wanted to make them uncomfortable. The baphomet looked at the boy with gentle but attentive observation, listening closely as he seemed to open up just a little by admitting that he liked to see people be uncomfortable. "Hmm....I see." Kohaku spoke quietly, nodding slowly as things started to come together and make sense. They were writing more into the notebook when Marrow 'asked' to see the journal, Kohaku smiling a bit. "If you wish. Just let me finish writing one more thing......and there." They closed the notebook and handed it to Marrow so he could look at it.
Inside Marrow would see pages upon pages of notes accompanied by sketches of things that the baphomet observed; from birds to familiars to places and even people, there were notes that were either thoughtful observations or poetic musings. The last couple of pages were about Marrow with his name written at the top over a sketch of the little hybrid with his mischievous smile and eyes that looked for trouble. Written on that page and the next were the notes that Kohaku had made and talked about but with a final paragraph added:
Marrow is a complex and troubled boy who shoulders a heavy mind full of sad thoughts. While he sees the rest of the world as a place full of people who look down on him and threaten him, there's a part of him that wishes for nothing more than companions who understand him and the way he feels. His desire to see others feeling uncomfortable and the enjoyment he takes from it is, for now, the only way he knows to make others feel as uncomfortable and frightened of the world as he does so that they might have a taste of what it's like to be him. While I may not know him very well I want to know more about him to understand why he sees the world this way....and if I can be of help somehow. I will try not to force him to say more than he feels comfortable with. Perhaps the best thing that I can do is just be a willing set of ears to listen.
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Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:33 am
From a very early age - yes, even earlier than this - Marrow had learned to stop being so curious. Questions often lead the inquisitive hybrid to answers he didn't want to know. Like where were his parents, and why was he alone? Many times the staff of the academy would tell the geist-litch that he was in fact with others in a similar situation, yet that answer didn't make him feel better. If anything it taught Marrow to just stop bringing it up. The less curious he was the less chance of being disappointed or wounded. Perhaps in a way he was envious of the ginger Baphomet's willingness to learn. Through those great big eyes that Marrow had he could see that perhaps they were just a little more prepared and stronger for this world than he was. The feelings of fluster and resistance would wax and wane depending on what the clever freshling would say. He just had to watch how he worded things around Marrow if he didn't want the short-tempered child to lose his cool.
As the Baphy explained how his knowledge of him wasn't personal but observant. How could the youngster know all of these big words described Marrow if they had only just met? Surely you couldn't gather all this from just one meeting, right? Wrong, apparently. This curious little freshling was scribbling down many things in that journal of his. The journal that 'Row wanted to get his hands on so badly. What else was he saying about him? Would he even be clever enough to understand this advance vocabulary that Kohaku was scribbling down? Why did he feel so inferior right now? The sensation left a sour taste in his mouth, like touching his tongue to the tip of a freshly used crystal.
The moment Kohaku handed over their journal willingly Marrow jumped at the chance to yank it from their grip and took a few steps back to place enough distance between the two of them so it wouldn't be snatched back so easily. Heck, the little hybrid even turned his back to Kohaku as he began to thumb through the pages, looking for the one that had been written on last. Surely that was especially mean for him. Kohaku hardly lifted his eyes while they spoke from all the scribbling he had been doing. As each page was turned though he was becoming more and more aware of what they held. There was a great deal of writing but what really captured the young geist-litch's heart were the drawings. His artist's muse was making his tendrils flicker a bit joyously as he scanned the animals and scenarios the journal held.
"You draw? Who would have thought a little nerd like you would actually be decent at something that actually requires feelings. You seem more like a machine rather than a-" Marrow's bitter sweet compliment was cut short when his eyes finally landed on a page - his page. And there was his picture. Nobody had ever drawn him before. Marrow didn't consider himself a worthy model. There were far greater things to observe than himself, but despite his insecurities he knew he couldn't think out loud this way. He would be eaten alive by the staff, the other students, his teachers. They'd try to comfort him, smother him, make him try to believe something he simply couldn't. He refused to, and therefore he hide how he truly felt and put on this facade of strength and courage. At least, that's what he took his bullying as.
Trailing his eyes down he came to the final paragraph rather quickly. After all, the rest of this writing was a little above his grade level. As those pale red orbs danced over the words smoothly, only stopping momentarily whenever he reached one he didn't know, he felt his fingers growing tense and tightening around the edges of his journal. It wasn't in anger but instead fear. Fear of not knowing just how the Baphomet read him much like an open book. Was he really that transparent? Confused and startled Marrow shut the book abruptly after reading that paragraph and turned around to shove it back against Kohaku's chest. His eyes were set in a glare but if the young aspiring psychologist stared hard enough he would be able to see the glassiness clouding Marrow's eyes.
"I am not afraid of the world or anything in it," he spat out, little flicks of saliva hitting Kohaku square in the face. He didn't know how to react. Part of him earned for a friend, but another part of him didn't want to admit that. He was torn between what he wanted and what he thought he needed. "You can play scientist or whatever all you want but I'm not a lab rat and I wont be your test subject. You don't want to help me. Nobody wants to help me," he gave the Baphomet yet another shove, though it lacked any real force or ill intent. "Go away," he told the child but instead of booming angry voice like Marrow had expected his words came out in a wavering whisper, completely opposite of the harsh glare he was trying to make.
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