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 Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:09 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 7:40 pm
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Sam was nervous, something she rarely experienced without a good reason. She could feel her hands shaking a bit and her breathing increased ever so slightly, just enough to be noticable by her own mind. However she had a VERY good reason to be nervous as she'd just entered into parenthood. The red head had just left the Lab with her new Raevan, Reinhart. It'd seemed forever ago that she'd gotten the essence and empty soul bottle in the mail; a lifetime since she'd placed the bottle in Hurtz's pen. But now, both were combined into the amazing person sitting next to her. Meeting him would forever be ingrained in her mind, seeing the combination of the soul and essence so beautifully expressed in his clothes, hair, his everything. Her green eyes side glanced at the male. He sat quietly, looking out the window at the passing world, seeing it for the first time. He seemed curious in an observational way, not a childish wonder at all the new things.
Reinhart sat in the passenger seat of the truck, his red eyes gazing out onto the bright world as they drove. Walking out of the lab proved a bit overwelming as the quiet of the room he'd been in verses the noise of the city were in stark contrast of each other. Ruby eyes darted everywhere, looking at everything with a bit of wonder. The world was so vast, so colorful as compared to the stark walls of the Lab. However he didn't show his discomfort, not wanting to reveal his feelings so openly. He couldn't explain why but the idea of showing such.....weakness...caused him even more stress than what the new experience filled him with. The woman now charged with his care seemed compitant and had promised he had a room prepared for him at her home. The warmth of the sun felt good but still felt rather bright. His soul desiring a softer sunlight. "The world is quite busy. Is it always like this?" his voice broke the silence. In surprise to Sam, Reinhart had something of a British accent; formal and crisp with some depth in the tone.
She glanced at him as they began to drive towards a longer road out of the city, "Here in the city it is yes. But it is a bit quieter at home. I prefer the sounds of nature over the sounds of the city." Maybe his animal soul disliked the busy pace of the city, given it was a creature of the woods. Her stomach made a bit of a noise, which reminded her she'd skipped her lunch hour to pick up Reinhart. The thought of lunch made her wonder what Reinhart might require for sustenance. She'd gone shopping just the previous day, with lots of healthy foods and such. But after her conversation with Zeke she only hoped she'd gotten what would give energy to the apple frei. "If you are hungry when we get home I have several things we can try."
"I would like...an apple," he said softly, musing over the idea of food. Reinhart didn't yet really understand his kind and their ways of consumption but he felt as if that were the appropriate thing. He felt a desire for an apple. The city changed to the suburbs then to more rural areas as they drove. Looking down at the lever under the window he touched, it gently pushing and finding the glass before him dropped. He continued to turn the lever, feeling the warm wind blow against him. The smell of the woods hit his nostrils, giving him a strange feeling. As if it should be natural for him to be here though he already missed the hustle and bustle of the city. Closing his red eyes he let the wind blow against his face, his hair billowing gently behind him.
Finally the duo pulled into the driveway of Sam's home. As she stepped out she looked over at Reinhart as he exited the vehicle, his eyes still scanning the area. It was as if he were memorizing his surroundings with a slow glance. "Come on Reinhart, I'll show you to your room. If you want anything changed just tell me," Sam said softly and unlocked the front door.
Reinhart both liked and disliked the home he arrived at. It was far out from the city, making him feel quite isolated; but it was a nice looking home, not some dump. As he was let in his eyes noticed a great deal of items, none of which he knew what they were. His guardian explained they were momentos from her travels all over the world for her job and with her parents. Apparently his guardian knew a great deal about the world. Following her up a small flight of stairs Reinhart entered what was to be his room. It looked quite different from the room downstairs. Clean and neat, with simple lines and themed red and black. Most of the furniture looked brand new, which it was given Sam had to furnish a new home. He saw a double door off to the side, opening it to reveal the small balcony. From it he could see the taller buildings of the city poking up above the tree line. "I like this room. It is quite comfortable," he said as he smiled to his mother, "Thank you for taking such care in making my dwelling so nice."
Sam smiled and nodded, "Of course. I'll go get you some apples and make myself something as well I've taken a few weeks off work to ensure you have everything you need and feel comfortable here." Sam walked back down stairs, letting out a bit breath. Great, Reinhart seemed quite happy with his new home. The human bustled about getting some sliced apples and some yogurt for herself.
Once the woman was gone Reinhart sighed, with a bit of a scowl. Really why couldn't the woman live in the city? Sure the scenery was nice but it seemed so....boring here. There was no one to speak to. Ah well, he would not say anything for now. Perhaps he could convince her to take a city dwelling later. Once food was delivered the frei turned the apples into little piles of ash, absorbing their essence neatly. He felt better, more energized.
"Seems your essence has dictated your diet. I'll keep apples on hand, or at least stuff made with apples so you can try differnt types," Sam said with a smile.
"Different types?" the frei raised a defined eyebrow at her.
"Yes, there are many different types of apples, all with their own taste and flavor. I'll make sure you have variety so as not to bore you," she smiled and offered him both a Red Delicious and a Granny Smith.
Reinhart took both apples, one in each hand. Curious, one was a dark red and a bit soft in flesh; the other was bright green with firm flesh. Absorbing the red one gave him a sweet taste, soft and comforting. The green apple had a sour taste but not unpleasent. It was quite interesting.
The rest of the day consisted of Sam giving him a tour of the rest of the home and showing him where in the land she owned was safe to walk should he need to get out of the house. Reinhart asked many questions about her posessions, about their origin and how she came about aquiring them. Finally Sam asked to take a picture with him, giving him pause. She told him how her camera phone worked and then how to pose. He felt a thrill posing, making sure to give what he felt was his best smile. He would have to get himself a phone such as that. He enjoyed seeing his picture on her screen. Sam sent the picture to her parents, knowing they'd get it eventually when they had cell phone service.
As twilight feel Reinhart found his desire to be outside more intense, to feel the cool air as the sun sank and the moon gave it's soft glow. Sam stood outside with him, looking up as the stars began to come out. He stayed outside for a long time, simply enjoying the sounds of the night. Sam smiled, knowing this defiantly came from his skunk soul. Skunks were twilight creatures, preferring this time between day and night. Finally both came inside, Sam showing Reinhart how to use the tv in his bedroom to watch shows. He settled on a British soap opera, sipping apple juice while he rested. It had been a long day and he looked forward to seeing what his life would bring him.
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 7:42 pm
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:00 pm
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:02 pm
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 6:26 pm
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 Growth Quest Post: 10 pts, 1622 words
Reinhart stood on his balcony, looking out towards the sky as the sun began to set. The orange glow adding to his usual red color, turning the white streak in his hair a soft yellow. A slight breeze brushed his bangs across his forehead, his ponytail swaying softly. Ruby eyes watched the horizon as the colors changed from the usual sky blue to oranges, red, and purples. He liked this time of day, when the night and day were battling for dominance. The skunk raevan held that part of his soul, preferring to stay up late rather than rise early like his mother. Perhaps it was best in a way, she greeted the day every morning as the sun rose and Reinhart greeted the night as the sun set. The forest was mostly silent save for a few bird calls. The summer would bring the cacophony of insects and frogs so, for now, he enjoyed the silence of nature. He closed his eyes, feeling the fading warmth of the sun against his skin, slowly taking a deep breath of the cooling air. When the golden orb finally made it's way below the horizon and darkness began to creep across the forest he turned and went back into his room.
Reclining on the love seat near his window he took a champagne glass filled with apple juice from the small coffee table, sipping it slowly. It may not be the fanciest of drinks but he enjoyed the fancy style. The silence in the house indicated his mother had not yet returned from work, allowing him precious alone time. Reinhart didn't mind company, in fact in many ways he thrived on it, but there were times he enjoyed solitude. It was a time to reflect and occasionally preen. Having so little of a body didn't prevent him from exercising to ensure he stayed in good shape, his mother also insisted on exercise to keep healthy. Despite the calm of the evening his mind was disquiet, like he'd forgotten something or still had something to do. Nothing immediately came to mind, all activities of importance were completed for the day. Perhaps some quiet reflection would alleviate his mind. As he sat his thoughts wandered. His first year of life had been fairly interesting so far. He'd made many friends, or at least those he felt would not be annoying to keep around when he required company. Two raevans stood out beyond the others he'd met, each adding something enriching to his life.
Ryder, his little rainbow, first came to mind. The shroom raevan was Reinhart's first interaction with another of his kind. The elder raevan acted shy and quiet, the studious type. But when in the presence of Reinhart he acted quite differently. The apple raevan was not clueless as to the machinations of affection and infatuation, he'd seen it plenty of times observing humans at the zoo on dates. He knew Ryder had a crush on him. He could see it in the way Ryder looked at him, how he responded to his touch and voice. That blush which never seemed to escape his cheeks when Reinhart glanced at him or the dreamy look in his eyes when he held Reinhart's hand. A few workers at the zoo had similar reactions to varying degrees. Though they made sure not to let Sam seem them fawning over her son. Ryder provided adoration to feed his ego and made for an excellent practice subject for his charm. Reinhart suspected he would prove useful later with his creative powers so he continued his flirtatious nature. Not that he cared about or returned Ryder's feelings what so ever. He'd examined this lack of emotion towards the other frei, given his observations of human courting rituals. But always he returned no an uncaring and aloof feeling. Love was not an emotion Reinhart felt. Loyalty yes, to his mother for her care and creation of him and to the good Doctor Kyou for similar reasons. But for Ryder, there was no feelings. His shyness and timid nature could be annoying as could his fawning over him. However one must put up with such things if they desired the continued infatuation.
The company of Cordelia, his Queen, proved far more enjoyable. He'd met the female at the zoo, an amusing case of mistaken identity. He remembered seeing her for the first time, a dark creature with a look of power behind her. Well she did have power, given she contained the soul of a mystical creature. But beyond simple friendship Delia provided so much more. The snake raevan worked at a bar where Rein could seek some solace from his mother. Since Delia and her guardian's family owned it Sam didn't mind Reinhart being there on his own. Unlike Ryder, Delia simply enjoyed his company and could match his banter. Their word play always amused him, like a game of verbal chess. At his little table she'd come over, making sure his drink was refilled and occasionally gifting him an apple tart or slice of pie. Given Delia's longer life she did treat him like the younger of the two, but not disrespectfully. They would banter back and forth as she worked, him flirting and her blushing and snapping back at him in a polite manner. She would get a bit more snappy when he flirted with patrons of the bar, which lead to a few very funny interactions. A few thought they'd begun dating which only lead to some sputtering from Cordelia. But Rein normally put that to rest, claiming they were simply friends. Delia was a match for him and he enjoyed her company. As if he could be his true self around her without judgement.
Even as these thoughts passed through his mind Reinhart wondered why he still felt so lost. No, lost wasn't the word. This was something beyond loss or forgetting something. He felt as if a part of him was missing. Looking inward he examined himself, his beautiful self. Handsome described him best, charming a close second; the apple frei knew he looked good. He'd been told many times by zoo workers, male and female, as well as zoo patrons and simple passerby's. He heard the giggling comments and the hushed noises made as he strolled down the sidewalk. Some caused by his lack of lower body and some by his beautiful face. But this incomplete part felt deeper, nothing physical but rather intrinsically if you will. His essence was easy to understand in a way. The poisoned apple made by a queen to kill her rival, a vain creation but still it gave him an interesting mindset. It gave him a very royal feeling. A queen created his very essence, how appropriate for the handsome prince. It also explained his consumption of the fruit and it's juice as sustenance. It also made him consider what he might develop in the form of powers. He knew he held an immunity to plant poisons, Ryder confirmed that at his birthday. But what other things could he do? How did one even go about figuring it out? Still these thoughts did nothing to ease the emptiness he felt.
His mind turned to his soul, the animal who'd given it's life to create him. A skunk, a simple forest creature he'd first thought but upon research became so much more. Despite it's small size large predators avoided it, feared it's great powers. Well perhaps it's great attack. Scent was not something Reinhart had issue with, in fact he normally smelled like fresh cut apples without even trying. He also possessed a fantastic sense of smell and hearing like his soul's species so foul odors were rather detested by him. As he pondered the animal it occurred to him he knew nothing about the particular skunk that'd given up it's life for him. He knew his mother would balk at the idea of killing any animal even if it would be reconstituted into another life so what made this skunk so special? What kind of skunk would bring his mother to take it's soul and create him? This, this thought is what caused his mind to wander and search for the tug of curiosity. He made up his mind, once his mother returned home he would discuss his soul with her. He nodded to himself, sipping on the apple juice again as he looked out at the dark sky through his window.
After an hour he heard the distinct sound of his mother's truck pull into the driveway. He waited patiently, knowing her usual nightly routine. The keys jangling as she let herself in, calling out out to her child to confirm his presence. He called out as well, setting his glass down and rising from the love seat. As usually she would go into her room and change clothes to more comfortable relaxing clothes. It was the same every night. Dinner was not a priority as Reinhart could eat at his leisure and Sam usually ate a the zoo or stopped for fast food on the way home. He floated downstairs slowly, listening as Sam raided the fridge for a snack and a beer. Once in the main house he saw the redhead resting on the large sofa in the living room, her hair pulled up and braided over her shoulder. He smiled to his mother, her own smile joining his as she questioned him about his day. He gave simple answers, nothing overly specific before taking a seat across from her. He looked to her in all seriousness, which made her ask what was on his mind.
"Mother," he began, "I have a question about my soul."
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 6:28 pm
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Growth Post: 11 points (1,819 words)
Ah, it had been a long day and Sam's whole body felt exhausted. Cleaning day in the big reptile cages took an entire team but was essential to ensure a clean environment for the animals. They didn't want fungus or parasites to take hold due to poor maintenance. A good aspect of her Raevan was his calm and quiet demeanor. She imagined living with Dior to be far more energy draining given her curiosity. Reinhart, however, enjoyed reading and walks in nature. More than once she'd seen him enjoying an evening stroll around the wood line near their home. Taking a seat to enjoy her beer she seemed surprised her son took a seat across from her rather than leisurely floating about. Their evening conversations usually consisted of what book he had read that day or what sort of lesson he'd learned from his educational books. Sam wanted to ensure Reinhart's mind was as well feed as his body so she provided him with all sorts of reading material that seemed to be on his maturity and learning level. Sometimes he questioned some aspects of a book so perhaps this was the reason for his serious face.
Sam blinked as Reinhart took a seat across from her and made his train of thought abundantly clear. Her beer hung halfway to her mouth in surprise, her voice seeming to have left her. This was not a question about a book. She swallowed hard, trying to collect her thoughts. He'd not been moody as it were the last few days but something seemed to weight on his mind. His mother attempted to suss out what trouble him but he admitted he was unsure as to the source of his discontent. But this? This was the thought that held his mind captive? Sure Sam knew one day Reinhart might want to know about his soul but she expected it to be later in his life, when he'd grown more. She blinked a few times, took a swig of her beer, then set it down on the table. "Your soul? I've told you, it's a skunk. Striped skunk to be specific. Wonderful creature," she said nonchalantly. Was she trying to avoid the question? She wasn't sure herself.
Reinhart's eyes narrowed a bit in slight irritation at the answer but the regal features softened again. His mother was a simple woman even if she held a great deal of education. This became more evident when discussing animals outside of the academic conversations. Obviously he needed to be more specific. He knew her experience with Raevans consisted of younger ones, those not born with his level of maturity. One thing Reinhart showed very early on was a distaste for being treated like a child. He'd gotten quite testy with some strangers who actually baby talked to him upon introduction. Their embarrassed faces gave him soothing satisfaction at the insult. He supposed younger Raevans might be satisfied with that answer or ask vague questions about the species. "No mother, I mean my specific soul. The individual skunk you chose to assist in my creation," he templed his fingers and rested them on his chest, "I wish to know more about that skunk. Your reason for choosing it and such."
Ho-boy, he really did want to know about Hurtz. Despite Reinhart's mature behavior, Sam hadn't felt he was ready to hear about his soul's unfortunately past. She wasn't sure he had the emotional understanding to realize what it all meant. Heck she wasn't sure she was ready to discuss such a topic with him. "Um, oh. Well, why are you so curious? It's a simple animal as compared to your friend Cordelia so there isn't much to tell."
Reinhart continued to stare at her, blinking slowly as the woman spoke. She was being evasive, not wanting to answer his questions. He did not approve of such behavior, she'd never avoid explaining something to him. Even if she wasn't able to explain something due to a lack of knowledge she still at least informed him as such. But something about this topic made the woman nervous, like she was hiding something. "I understand it is a simple animal but you are hardly the kind of person to simply take the soul of an animal for your own use. This skunk, for whatever reason, must have showed some sort of unique feature or trait," he explained calmly. Though if that were true his parent would be even more reluctant to take such a soul.
Well he was definitely observant to know she wouldn't just take a soul willy nilly. Not for something as selfish as creating another life with it. Sam understood predator/prey relationships but this was entirely different, taking the life of one creature to create a whole separate life. "There's.....nothing to talk about. It was a striped skunk. I chose it and think it did well in combination with your essence," she said shortly.
Now Reinhart looked mad. He was not use to people refusing to answer his inquiries. Why didn't she want to talk about his soul? She seemed a bit angry to be discussing it. "Well it's my soul so I feel I have a right to know about it," he said flatly.
"Well I'm not required to give you every answer. It was a skunk. End of discussion," she said, cutting him off from any response. Sam stood and took her beer, heading out to the back porch. She took a breath and tried to calm her nerves. Why was she so mad about Reinhart demanding to know about his soul? He had a point, it was his soul after all, but she just didn't think he was ready to understand why that skunk was chosen for rebirth.
Reinhart glared after the woman, his normally bright red eyes much darker. How dare this woman! The nerve! She holds knowledge of his creation and feels she can keep it from him! He stood and went back up to his room fuming. He paced back and froth, his arms crossed. He and Sam had never fought before, disagreed yes but never had anger towards each other. Not that he cared if it hurt her, if she wished to act a fool then she deserved whatever pain she felt. However he would not be denied his knowledge.
The next day Reinhart joined his mother at the zoo. To Sam it seemed Reinhart had forgotten their conversation the previous night as he spoke of a book he recently finished. However Reinhart at his own agenda and needed to be at the zoo to do so. Once he established himself near the reptile house with his apple juice he waited. Having memorized his mother's work routine he knew she'd be in her office for a bit, planning the week's work schedule and feeding of the animals. New volunteers would be spread out with seasoned workers. This normally took about an hour or so. Checking the large clock out in the middle of walk he knew she had to be out by now.
Taking his juice he floated back into the reptile house and into the employee's only area. It was early so there were no visitors yet, his presence going unnoticed. All the other workers would be at Sam's morning meeting, going over the day's scheduled cleaning and feeding. Finding his mother's office he set his juice on her desk, ruby eyes scanning the room. Given her title the skunk soul had to come from the zoo, one of the animals in her care. Perhaps that was the reason she seemed so evasive, she'd broken some rule.
Going to her filing cabinet he began to open them, skimming through the many files. Sam was quite organized despite the look of her desk and home. He realized her files were organized by animal type with individual files alphabetized. Opening another drawer he found the skunk files. Pulling the large file out he cleared a spot on the desk. Opening the file he noted each had the name of the animal then papers describing all sorts of things. Papers such as vet visits, feeding schedule and type, fecal analysis, behavior observations, and other various research papers. Reinhart knew the names of all the skunks in the zoo, having been on the nocturnal tour a few times. All the skunks had their files, no other skunks seemed to be present. He frowned. This was not what he needed. Placing the large files back into the drawer he closed it, huffing a bit. Then an idea struck him. All the animals listed were ones still alive. His eyes looked over the other filing cabinets in her office, reading the labels. Finally he found the "deceased" files. Animals who had passed or otherwise died at the zoo.
Surprisingly it wasn't all that big. Then again, he though, his mother only dealt with two houses so it wouldn't show ALL the animals. Running his fingers through the files he noticed these were not as organized. Mostly done alphabetically by name. He didn't want to go through them all, he wanted to find his soul. Looking over the names he narrowed his eyes thinking. Kirby, Frank, Dory, Vanessa, Meatball, Jenson, Hurtz....wait. Something about that name struck him, making him look at it again. His mother had a horrible sense for names but at least he'd been named well. A German name he'd been told. Hurtz looked German. Taking out the file and opening it he was greeted with a picture of a beautiful striped skunk. He smiled triumphantly, thinking himself quite clever.
Taking a seat again he began to look through the file. The first couple of pages showed general information, weight and such. His death date was recent enough to be his target, his mother said she'd waited about a year for him to be born. Then he began to read some other files. Files from the local police department. His red eyes narrowed in confusion. Police reports? But as he read he began to piece together the events that lead to his soul's arrival at the zoo. An illegal zoo, poor living conditions, animal abuse; he felt his blood boil at the way his soul had been treated. Another page was an official document from the zoo, expression the decision of upper management to put down the now aggressive animal. Reinhart stopped, staring at that page. He skunk's behavior was too aggressive to continue to allow him to live? Otherwise he was perfectly healthy? The memo listed Sam as the personnel who administered the procedure. Now it made sense. His mother didn't euthanize Hurtz, she'd used the soul bottle and taken his soul instead. Most likely very against zoo rules. The last page seemed to be a newspaper clipping. Picking it up Reinhart looked at it.
"Trial of Illegal Zoo Owner Hitting Snags."
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Posted: Mon May 27, 2019 5:44 pm
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Growth Post: 9 points (1,474 words)
Red eyes scanned the few files that were present, but Reinhart knew there had to be more. Frustration build in the Frei's heart. He had to discover more about this skunk and the life he'd been rescued from. Perhaps some would wonder why or think he was focusing on the past when his future seemed so bright. However Reinhart needed to know, needed to ensure he had any information that might be used against him some how. Granted he doubted his soul's previous existence would have much effect on his life but it never hurt to be sure. But where would he find that kind of information? Legal documents not pertaining to the zoo wouldn't be kept in his mother's office, only documents relevant to her work. He needed someone with more access to the files in the main office. There all sorts of boring bureaucratic files were housed. Brushing a lock of white hair from his face he closed his eyes to think, he needed a solid plan that would accomplish his goal but not arouse his mother's suspicions. One of the secretaries, Kevin, liked to take his "breaks" close to the reptile house. This normally took place during the time Reinhart was outside enjoying the sunshine. His voice would falter and his cheeks colored with a blush as he gazed into the ruby eyes of the frei. Maybe he'd have some knowledge. Reinhart knew all he'd have to do is speak slowly and look him in the eye and Kevin would cave to any request.
How often did he use this ability? The ability to charm everyone from the shyest girl to the most macho male. He could sweet talk his way in or out of any situation. Given his race some might think it was part of his magical attributes, and it may have in some ways, but in fact it was all Reinhart. From his people watching he'd observed how to behave, how to react, to control his expressions and words to gain the advantage in most situations. People watching had it's advantages. Over the course of the year he'd learned to flirt, to smile at just the right time, and how to ask for favors. In the beginning he'd merely used it to get free apple juice from the stalls or even apple flavored snacks from patrons. But slowly he'd begun testing his charisma on those outside the zoo. Bookstore employees, restaurant servers, even a few beat cops who liked to patrol near his favorite places. Gender made no difference, if they found him handsome he looked for a way to make them useful. People had use, not much else. Few knew of his rather cold outlook, the idea that the majority of those he knew where beneath him. Their presence tolerated provided they showed potential to be useful.
Leaving his mother's office he made his way toward the main office building, situated behind the maintenance buildings. It was mid-day so most people were out to lunch, leaving fewer witnesses to his hunt. He scanned the different offices, looking for his prey. Out of the bright light his usual gaze turned darker, almost like blood. They still held warmth but it was merely an illusion. Finally he spotted the bleach blonde hair bent over a keyboard trying to work on the press release. He placed his hands behind his back and put on his most charming face, something the frei could turn off and on at will. Floating into the doorway of the office he smiled, his voice dropping a bit into a deeper tone. [b] "Hello Kevin, working through your lunch again?" he gave a soft smirk, "Such dedication."
Kevin eeped at the voice, turning to face his co-worker's son. That handsome face and dashing demeanor. Oh how Kevin wished Reinhart was in adult form or whatever it was his species did. One of the things holding him back was the face he knew Reinhart was only a year old. Granted it was difficult to see Reinhart as a child, he was so mature and suave for someone a year old. "OH! Um, hi Reinhart. Yeah, I was just, um, getting some files ready for a conference tomorrow," he stammered a bit as his face flushed, "What, what are you doing here?"
"Actually, I came to find you," he felt a bubble of amusement at the bright red that graced Kevin's face, "I need you for something. Something I can't tell mother about as it might be a bit....inappropriate. She'd be very, very upset if she knew I was doing this."
"Um, I, uh, well, if you need, I mean if I can help," Kevin tried to swallow the knot in his throat as the striped haired male looked into his eyes.
"Oh Kevin, I knew you'd help me. I could just feel it," Reinhart said as he took Kevin's hands in his gloved ones, rubbing the top of one. He leaned forward, his cheek nearly brushing Kevin's as he whispered into his ear. "I need to see the files on the illegal zoo rescue from a year ago."
It was all Kevin could do as the blood rushed to his face as the smell of apples filled his nose. Then Reinhart made his request, which seemed a bit odd but his mind wasn't thinking all that well at the moment. "The...the rescue? The...the one your mom helped with? You...want to see them?"
"Yes, it means a great deal to me," he pulled back to look Kevin the eye, his face mere inches away, "Can you do this for me Kevin? I would be so appreciative. I feel such a passion for this, something so deep it makes me burn with a need I must satisfy."
Kevin nodded quickly, his face a permanent shade of red now. As much as he liked Reinhart he knew if he did anything and Sam found out, he would be a dead man as well as unemployed. But he could dream. Keeping Reinhart's hand in his he lead the raevan to a locked door where the legal files were kept for pending trails. "I really, really shouldn't show you these but if you really feel it would..help you. Here are the files," he said as he finally released Reinhart's hand and pulled some folders from a cabinet. He set them out on the small table in the room. "Is there....anything...else...you need?" he asked nervously.
"No Kevin, you have made me so happy," Reinhart smiled and leaned over to kiss Kevin's cheek. It was innocent enough but he knew the man would keep his mouth shut about this. "Thank you. I will stay to read and inform you when I am done. So you may check that I have kept everything neat and lock up again."
Kevin left quickly to collection himself and attempt to calm his heart. Reinhart floated to the chair and began looking over the files. They gave more information but not exactly everything he wanted. However it did give names. The main culprit, it seemed, was Leon Surly. He was accused of masterminding the acquisition and transportation of the animals. Finally he stood accused of allowing the physical abuse, endangerment, starvation and undernourishment of a multitude of animals; some claims even stated he took part in the abuse. Red eyes narrowed and darkened a bit. His soul had been a part of this menagerie which means this man in all likelihood had committed violence against him. Even if Reinhart was not who he was then, the fact this human may have raised a violent hand to his soul sent a wave of hatred through him. But beyond this the files revealed little else. He needed more.
He made a few notes in his phone he felt important then put the files in neat order. Finding Kevin he put on a glowing smile and thanked him for his help. Keven asked if he'd gotten what he needed. Reinhart just winked and said "It's always a start but I know I'll satisfy my curiosity." Walking back to the reptile house had time to think. He wouldn't need to explain his absence given he went for walks around the zoo many times while his mother worked. But he needed a plan to find the real details on this man. It was an illegal operations, which means the police most likely had the information he needed. A smile formed on his lips as a game formed in his mind. One frequent patron of the nocturnal house was a young, new officer of the Duram police. She'd took one look at Reinhart and promptly became infatuated. He'd flirted, subtly, with the officer just to string her along. He thought she might prove useful one day given her connections. And it seemed that day had come.
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Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2019 6:42 pm
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Growth Post: 10 pts (1,631 words)
Reinhart tapped his finger on his chin as he sat in his room, looking out the window toward the setting sun. Red and orange rays danced across his face as the tree out back cast long black shadows over the room. From the files at the Zoo he learned a small portion of his soul's past, of the pain endured both at the hands of his captors as well as the uncaring administration of the zoo. He did not blame his mother. Despite the orders from her superiors she'd taken his soul and did well to give him a new chance for life. It also gave him a chance for revenge against those who'd wronged him. Reinhart had a very healthy sense of justice but only as it concerned himself or those he felt a sense of loyalty for. He had no memories of any atrocities suffered by the creature known as Hurtz but it still struck a cord of anger through his being. For three days he contemplated his next move, a perfect strategy needed to continue. Before using the officer to get the detailed information he wanted Reinhart knew he needed to do a bit more research. Just from conversations he knew police files are a spiderweb of files and boxes, the apple frei required the exact string to pull. Time would be precious so he couldn't meander around. He had a name, Leon Surly, which gave him something to go on. The easiest information to find was news reports and videos of the current trial. Once he knew what details he lacked he could request or suggest specific information.
Leaning forward the apple frei picked up the laptop he'd been given. Sam didn't want Reinhart to be ignorant of modern technology but did not to overwhelm him. She'd seen Ryder's love of technology with the game he played, much to Reuben's chagrin. For this reason he possessed only a smart phone and small laptop. He did not require a gaming laptop, such things were of no use to him. He needed something to search the internet for fine clothes and apple recipes. However his phone may have contained two cooking games and three fashion games. Opening the browser he entered the man's name and trial, easily bringing up several news channels reporting on the event. Each spoke of the poor animals harmed by the operation, showing a few videos taken outside the facility by news crews. One station talked about the illegal zoo industry and that this was just the tip of the criminal iceberg. The reporter alluded to a bigger organization connected to the zoo but gave few details. An interesting tidbit but nothing he needed.
Another new report showed a mugshot of Leon, the smug look on his face only angered Reinhart to a higher degree. Leon sported a dark buzz cut and even darker eyes, a deep brown with no warmth to them. He seemed to constantly have five o'clock shadow in all his photos however he dressed impeccably. Reinhart gave him credit for at least appearing in decent clothing. As he watched the different videos they announced when his trial would take place, his eyes widening. The first part of the trial would be tomorrow! With this knowledge he knew he had to attend, he needed to see Leon with his own eyes. The only problem was convincing his mother to let him go. Given their current chilly interactions he felt she would refuse his request. Perhaps out of the want to protect him from finding out about his soul's past or just frustration at his constant demands for knowledge. No matter her reasons, he needed a way to make her agree. Or at least make her think he was somewhere else she approved of.
The next day Reinhart floated down to breakfast, sipping on the apple juice Sam gave him. He'd worked out a plan which he felt would work best. Looking over at her he smiled, "Mother, I would like to go to The Silver Fox this afternoon if I may. I believe Cordelia will be present and I enjoy her company. Also I know you have that large school event at the zoo today which will be a minor tornado." Sam laughed a bit at his last statement. It was true, they were hosting a learning event for three different schools so the zoo would be controlled chaos today. She imagined the young children would test Rein's patience given his ribbon body so she saw no problems with his request. The Silver Fox was a nice place and he had friends there to keep him company. She also assumed Reinhart wanted to see more of Cordelia for more romantic reasons. He'd never claimed affection for the other frei but she saw how they enjoyed each other's company and Reinhart's flirtatious nature. Which usually earned him an eye roll or a sputtering from the snake frei. Not that she minded the idea of the two, though she may be bias. "Sure Reinhart, I think that's a good idea. You can ride the bus over there from the zoo then I will pick you up after."
The plan worked perfectly, Reinhart boarding the bus leaving the zoo which took him downtown. Sam even gave him some money to buy his favorite drink. However the apple frei exited the bus at a slightly earlier stop. As he looked out across the street his eyes focused on the court house. Leon was there, his prey had arrived. He knew this due to the cacophony of reports taking pictures and yelling questions at a person being escorted into the building. A dark emotion built in the frei, one not unfamiliar but still a bit new to him. He must destroy this man, some how some way. But this feeling was small just yet, a budding hatred he would suppress for the moment. Crossing the street he moved to enter the court house, removing his jewelry for the metal detector before going to the courts board. Scanning the appointments quickly he found the room he needed and proceeded. The room accommodated a large crowd, half of which were reporters. He found a nice spot in the back settling down. He made sure to stay clear of the prosecution table's line of sight as there were two zoo representatives there. Most likely to give testimony on the health of the animals as well as report back to his mother.
Once the room fell into silence the judge entered, taking his seat and bringing the trail to order. The prosecution began their opening statements, speaking of the horrific zoo conditions and how Leon was directly involved in the illegal activities taking place. Red eyes glanced to the defense table where Leon sat, narrowing at the expression he observed over the man's face. It was pure amusement, as if the whole trial was being put on for his enjoyment. His serious crimes included the illegal purchase of exotic and local animals, animal cruelty, animal endangerment, tax evasion, smuggling, and a few various minor crimes. The defense stood next, the lawyer obviously looking nervous to be speaking. Either the man had little experience in such a public trial or something else weighed on his nerves. He gave several weak reasons for Leon's name to be associated with the illegal zoo, as he'd never even been seen on the property. However what happened next made a fine red eyebrow arch on the frei.
Leon stood, making his lawyer jump a bit, that smug grin on his face still. The judge asked if he planned to make a statement and reminded him anything he stated could be used in his trial. Leon nodded, waving his hand to the judge in the most dismissive way. "Your honor this is a complete waste of my valuable time. I have a business to run and this inconvenience is entirely unnecessary. So some stupid animals got hurt, not my problem. Hell most of them aren't even worth a damn like that skunk so why make a big deal about this?" he chuckled despite the gasps and whispers.
The judge looked completely not amused, his lawyer looked shocked, the prosecution looked stunned. The whispers of his connections to a larger crime ring were known but the man acted as if he could dismiss the court proceedings despite the evidence against him. The audacity of his statement sent ripples through the reporters, this was going to be a great story! But all was not well in the courtroom. If Leon had looked to the back of the court one person's reaction seemed to be on an entirely different level. The frei's red eyes were dark, the color of blood and completely cold. His hands actually shook in his contained rage. Reinhart boiled at the reference to his soul, even if the man didn't know he existed from Hurtz's soul the indifference and dismissal opened a very dark part of Reinhart's heart. As if something which had been dormant in him had now awakened. This man would pay for this. Reinhart would punish him somehow some way. Leon's statement soon caused an uproar and the court had to be cleared. A new date was set for more testimony. Reinhart fumed outside the courtroom, floating back and forth. The surge of reporters to his right meant Leon was being walked out. He took one last look at the man as he left before Leon called out to reporters.
"Sorry to disappoint but I doubt there will be much of a trial after today. I'll be making bail and getting back to work. But I thank you all for the publicity!" he grinned with a wink to the cameras and continued walking.
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Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2019 6:49 pm
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