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 Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 12:19 am
Michel and Malus were not strangers to traveling the night together; at first it had been a pain to get Malus out in the evening hours, but now it seemed like he was slowly warming up. He was always most comfortable when it was Michel and Lysithea, but unfortunately, if they wanted to continue living the life of luxury it usually meant someone had to work.
Tonight was Michel’s night off and he was making the best of it.
Or, at least, trying to. Malus had not wanted to go out and had protested—at least, insomuch as Malus would protest while he was still desperately trying to prove himself.
They were in the park tonight, both because Malus was finally starting to feel safe here and because it was close to home in case they needed to pack up and call it a night.
They weren’t alone, but usually such was the cast. The energy signature of a Page was clear enough; Michel noticed it first and if Malus noticed it at all, he didn’t say anything.
Honestly, Michel didn’t know what to expect with Knights; he was still afraid one of them would figure out he hadn’t awakened as a Knight. That he’d had to purify to get to where he was today. Malus didn’t know; really, only Lysithea was aware of what had happened.
He preferred it that way.
An energy signature appeared on Michel’s radar and he glanced up, skimming the area. They continued to walk in the direction the energy signature was coming from but Malus didn’t seem to give any indication that he wanted to change their path to avoid it.
Which meant, sooner or later, they were going to cross paths.
Malus was still talking about something—some recipe he was working on or something; honestly, Michel had zoned out and was only nodding and making small noises occasionally to give the impression he was actually listening. Michel was far more interested in making sure whoever was approaching them wasn’t going to be a problem.
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Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:49 am
For a long, long while, Manu found himself unable to leave his house. It wasn't a fear that kept him bound to the large old home, but a darkness that lingered in his mind and in his heart. He had always experienced trouble when dealing with his feelings and thoughts but the past few months left him far worse off than he had ever been. Were it not for the support of his sweet labradoodle, Staccato, well... Maybe he would be even worse than the scraggly man with an unkept beard and tired eyes.
Night after night he managed to pull himself out of his home, forcing himself into an everlasting search for Bazzite. The youma wasn't the same as the others he ran into, this one had protected him not only from a creature that would have surely caused his demise, but from himself, their talks ending right before the other would loose control... Only once had it come close, and evidence of that night stayed hidden under bandages and the puffy white sleeves of his uniform.
While most nights he ventured out alone, tonight his pup just refused to let him out. Manu supposed it was natural, given his training to sense when something wasn't right with his owner, and tonight was certainly a night of lows. The loneliness and despair was hitting him hard as he craved the warmth his home once had. It used to be a lively place with his nieces and nephews running around and the soft chiding his sister would give them every now and then... But they were gone, off to live in their own new world with her new husband, and again, Manu was alone.
It was that same loneliness that caused him to neglect himself, to put himself into reckless situations and to ignore what was best for himself, and Staccato did his best to relieve that feeling. That was his task for the night and why he refused to let the man leave the home alone. Not that Manu minded all that much.
"Alright boy... You can come... Only tonight though, alright?" Giving into his dog's whining, Manu grabbed a soft woven mask for him and tied it under his ears and over his eyes. Maybe it was more for aesthetics but... It made a comfortable connection between him and Staccato after removing his collar. Staccato was a smart boy, though. Were they to get separated, well, he'd know how to go back home.
Out they went into the night, Staccato staying faithfully by his worn friend's side, and they headed out to that fountain that Bazzite normally seemed to be when they encountered on another.... But he was dead... Wasn't he? How long did it take for youma to respawn anyway...?
"Ah well, boy, might as well keep looking..." He murmured to his furry friend, earning a soft 'boof' as confirmation. They walked for some time, looking around, searching and trying to find any signs of the youma having been around here but... Nothing.
What he did find, or feel, however, was the energy signatures of someone much more power than he was, and someone... Well, maybe a bit like him as well. Perhaps they would know if Bazzite had been around any time recently. It wasn't as if the large locus youma was hard to miss.
Just as Manu was heading towards them, the pair of auras seemed to be heading towards him as well, and in no time at all he came across the two, offering a half smile to them both and stopping a good twenty or so feet away. Staccato obediently followed suit, sitting down on his hind legs for a moment .
"Good evening!" He called out, a hand reaching up into the air and giving a slight wave to them. "Do you have a moment? I'm looking for someone, and would like to ask if you've seen them."
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Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 2:53 pm
Malus had been more affected by the sight of the dog than he had been the Knight; he stiffened when the creature appeared next to him and for a moment he had to strain his eyes to determine what he was looking at.
Not a youma, he realized, after a moment of trying to decipher the dark shape. He stayed close to Michel just in case.
Whereas Manu slowed, Michel didn’t, and Malus moved with him to keep up.
“All right,” Michel answered; he gave the Page a quick look over and deemed that he didn’t seem too threatening. Malus might have been able to take him—at least, with his magic. Maybe they could work something out here. “Who are you looking for?”
They hadn’t really run into many people while they were out, but Michel was nosy enough to ask, anyway. His eyes slid to the dog at the man’s side and he couldn’t help but raise a brow. “…Do you always dress your dog up and bring him out for patrols? Is that a thing people do, or…?”
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 12:43 pm
To his relief, the men stopped, and it was obvious which one was in charge. Not only was there a significant power difference between one and the other, one was obviously just more confidant than his companion, given the way he remained close and at his side. It didn't bother Manu in the least, however, and he simply offered the more skittish seeming man a kind smile before looking at the Knight once again.
"Oh, him?" He looked down at Staccato, who's tail wagged excitedly back and forth, eager to go and greet the new people but knowing he wasn't allowed to unless stated. "Well.. Uh... I don't exactly have a glamour for dogs, and if someone saw him with me while he was wearing his collar, they'd know who'd he belong to, but this mask is easier to identify if we get split up. Plus he knows how to get home too. I don't normally bring him out all the time, but he's for emotional support, and is trained to help when things get overwhelming. I've been looking after him for a while after things changed at home and he sorta wouldn't let me out the house tonight without him, so viola, here we are."
While he spoke of this, Manu remained calm and lighthearted about it, not showing any shame in admitting that was Staccato's purpose, heck, he even seemed proud of it, reaching down to give the good boy a little head pat. "You're free to pet him if you'd like. He's not really working right now, so it's just fine. He likes pets alot, especially under the chin."
His offer was certainly offered more to Malus than it was to Michel, if only because it looked like the other would enjoy it more. So far from just the quick look Michel gave him, he didn't come off as the most friendly of types.
"I'm looking for a youma, to be exact, Bazzite. Tall, blue locus looking creature with a tuff of powder blue hair on the top of his head. He has wings and stands about... Three or four inches taller than me. Something along those lines.." Manu paused, realizing it probably sounded really strange that he was looking for a youma. "Ehehe, I suppose that sounds bad, doesn't it? I'm looking for him because he has this... This thing, this pendant he wears and sometimes it gives him the ability to talk and speak like a human does. Not just threats or... You know... Things like that, he actually SAVED me from this giant youma in a lake and died in the process..."
It hurt badly thinking about what happened that night, and honestly no one but Staccato knew it even happened. After that night it took so much just to leave the house, the feeling of a heavy despair having set in his chest when Bazzite vanished into dust in his arms. While he knew they could regenerate, it had been so long since he last so the other that it was beginning to feel like maybe he actually was permanently gone.
"You must think me crazy for looking for him but I'm hoping to find a way to help him. Even if I don't see him for a long time, atleast when I do see him again, there will be something there I can do instead of just seeing him flicker in and out of a real human mindset into the hungry youma one again."
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Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 9:18 pm
Malus did not seem to be a fan of dogs; his brows knit and he looked at the creature but there was an undeniable curiosity in his eyes when the Page talked about a support animal. He couldn’t help but wonder what sort of ‘support’ a dog could give, but even with the mask he could tell this wasn’t like the scary dogs he usually imagined. Although, most dogs seemed to look like wolves or youma in his mind; he suppressed a shudder.
A part of him wanted to pet the dog; it was something he hadn’t really experienced before. Cats, he liked, but dogs? Malus’ hand lifted, just slightly, as if he was going to take up the offer. Instead, he clenched his hand into a fist and forced it to his side.
Of course, the mention of a youma was enough to make him go rigid. His eyes lifted to Manu and he seemed to have frozen. His jaw was clenched tightly and his breathing, though silent, became a bit more labored.
Michel took notice of this and deliberately brushed his arm against Malus to remind him that he was there.
It wasn’t much of a gesture, but it was enough that Malus’ finger snaked out to find Michel.
The Knight did not seemed impressed; he looked resolved and stoic, but he did not pull away. He wouldn’t admit to it, but he curled his finger around the Senshi’s.
“We haven’t seen a youma like that,” Michel answered for the both of them. “Sorry.”
He wasn’t, entirely. He was happy to be rid of youma and not have to deal with them, but he had spent so long desperate for answers, desperate to help Evan, that he couldn’t help but be curious about the pendant. “What do you know about that pendant, though?” He planted his other hand on his hip and looked at Manu curiously. “That sounds like an incredible object. What do you mean ‘help’ him, though? You mean, make him human permanently?”
Malus remained quiet, staring at an empty space above Staccato’s head.
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:27 am
Manu immediately looked uncomfortable as he realized that whatever he had said had deeply troubled the Senshi, and he cast his eyes down for a moment, eyeing his own bit of support in Staccato before looking back up at him. Maybe he said too much, maybe he was crazy for thinking he could find a youma like Bazzite in a city as huge as Destiny City was. Staccato also seemed to pick up on this and took a few, questioning steps forward towards Malus and gave a soft 'boof', curious to know if he would come closer for a pet. The human really looked like he could use a pet, or a hug, or something.
"Are you alright...? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. If you'd like, I can just drop it." In his own way, he began to feel miserable, that creeping feeling of messing up again poking and prodding at his head, but he did smile genuinely in his own apologetic way. As soon as he was going to switch the subject, the other Knight spoke again to him, curious about what he had soon, and Manu was eager to continue talking.
"I don't know too much about it, if I'm honest. It was a pair of blue gems.... Crystals maybe? And Bazzite said that when his General gave it to him, he began having these moments of clarity, where he knew what he was and just... Well, it seemed to make him miserable at times. He said it was always brief, only a few minutes or so before he lost it again and went back to hunting but in those moments he almost seemed to hate himself because of what he was." Manu paused, gazing over at Malus to make sure he was alright and offering him another small smile before turning his attention back to Michel.
"I'm convinced there must be a way to help him somehow, to help him not be stuck as a hungry youma anymore, because in those moments I could tell just how human he really was... Or it felt like it anyway... I don't know, honestly I'm sure I just sound insane, but I want to help him... Someone who is willing to risk death to save someone else, someone they barely even know must be good. They can't be the monster they think they are, right? Maybe human again, or maybe atleast allow him to function as one again, but I'm just a page, and a barely awakened one at that so I don't know anything. Even worse, I can't find him, so even if there was a way to help, It wouldn't matter..."
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:34 am
Malus’ eyes went to the dog; it wasn’t quite a bark, but it had startled him all the same. The creature didn’t seem threatening, and the Page did say that he was free to pet him…
Malus didn’t like dogs, not because he didn’t want to, but because he was afraid of being bitten. In some ways, all furry creatures reminded him of the youma he used to be—or, worse, the youma that tried to eat him. But looking at this dog, it was hard to think he was monstrous. Slowly, hesitantly, Malus crouched down. He was completely uncertain in his actions but carefully lowered his hand so as not to startle the dog, and then placed it lightly on top of his head. He wasn’t yet brave enough to get so close to the mouth for that ‘under the chin’ pet Manu said he liked, but he was trying.
Michel watched quietly, apparently ready to attack a damn dog if it scared Malus too much.
Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case. For now, at least.
“Maybe there is,” Michel shrugged. He didn’t expand on it, until Malus looked up at him with brows knit and a pointed gaze.
The Knight let out a grumble of a sigh. “I heard a rumor,” he began, “About undoing a youma’s curse. But you need a Court, at least, and I don’t know how many of them are wandering around.”
“I know one,” Malus said quietly.
Michel grumbled but nodded. “All right, we do know one. But I don’t know if they’re really keen on getting involved with youma.”
Malus looked up at him, brows knit, and Michel sighed and continued, “But they’d probably help, if they could. If you found your youma. But so far as I know, they’ve only helped one. And even then, I’m not entirely sure they knew what they were doing when it happened. But they were able to help him. So it’s not impossible.”
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 11:51 am
As patiently as he could, Staccato waited for Malus to approach him, giving a bit of a sniff when the other knelt down to his level. He smelled nice, and was much more pleasant than the rowdy kids he was used to who like to pull and tug at his ears and tail. Though it came slowly, the hand met his head and he gently pressed into the touch, tail beginning to wag more excitedly at the prospects of finding a new friend. A good friend, a quiet friend. It was REALLY nice.
Manu, on the other hand, didn't seem to be as happy as he could have been when it seemed Michel was with holding more information than he was willing to give, only changing his words when Malus, the poor thing, decided to speak up in his stead. There was a worried and weary feeling dwelling in his head now.. Perhaps he had said too much. But if there was any sort of glimmer of hope that he could save his.... His friend, then he would.
"Do you know of a way to contact them? Or maybe a way to spread the word to keep an eye out for him if he shows up again? I can't say we shouldn't stop him if he's hurting people but if they can manage to talk to him, to trigger that pendant then maybe he can be reasoned with again...." Manu wasn't a man who fidgeted or ever really seemed so uncertain of himself, but right now he was. He was scared for his friend and was nervous about what might happen if Michel would be the kinda person who would just dust him without a second thought.
"And if you managed to see him at any point and he's in that state of consciousness where we can easily communicate, could you let him know that I'm looking for him? Ah, right, I'm Manu, page of Chronos. I'm so sorry for springing all these questions and worries to you without proper introductions. Who might you two be?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 2:21 pm
Malus was reserved, but it seemed the longer he knelt next to Staccato, the more relaxed he got. He managed a slight smile as he pet under the dog’s chin.
Michel answered for them; he gestured to himself and introduced, “Michel, Knight of Saturn,” and then gestured to the Senshi. “Malus, Senshi of Glass.”
“We can contact them,” Malus answered then, not taking his eyes off of the dog as he combed his gloved fingers through his fur. “If we find him, we’ll tell him what you said. It’s nice to meet you, Manu.”
Malus was polite; he was quiet, though, and it sounded almost like he was talking to the dog next to him rather than the Page.
“Do you think he’s a monster?”
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 2:38 pm
Staccato found himself quickly enamored by the human petting him, tail swishing excitedly and a happy soft sound leaving him as he shifted to com in closer to him, wiggling his head to press closer and closer until it was resting on Malus' lap, panting a little bit in his excitement for a new friend.
"I truly appreciate the help, thank you. The pleasure is all mine." Manu responded, shaking off that feeling of uneasiness to switch back to his more trusted and honest side. There was no reason to distrust these two, not when they were, in fact, offering to help him find Bazzite and try to help him become human again. Or at least that's what he was taking this information as.
"No... I don't think he's a monster. It's like there's something else inside of him controlling his actions and fogs up his mind so he can't be the human he used to be... Can you really be a monster if it's not your will that's controlling you? If something else makes you pull the trigger, if you have no ability at all to stop yourself, I don't think that means you're a bad person. It means you need help, and that's what I want to do, to help him in any way I can."
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:27 pm
Malus seemed a bit uncertain when the dog laid on him, but it mostly appeared just that he didn’t know what to do rather than him actively being uncomfortable. He found himself nodding to Manu but had slipped into some sort of silence again.
He seemed to be reflecting on the answer he had been given, and it took a moment for him to really accept it. “A lot of people don’t think like that. They just look at you and think you are what you look like. I don’t think a lot of youma can be saved,” he answered honestly. “But if there’s a part of him that’s good, a part of him that wants it, I think that maybe you can. At least, I really admire you for trying. Most people probably wouldn’t give him a chance.”
Michel tilted his head just slightly as he watched the Senshi, quiet as he spoke. His eyes raised to reach Manu’s when Malus finished. “Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Whatever you do, just be careful.”
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 12:27 pm
"Thank you for saying that, it really does mean alot... I really don't want to give up on him, especially now that I feel like there really is something I can do to help him. It's just a matter of finding him now and then finding the council... Wherever they may be." Manu sighed deeply, but he continued to smile, feeling reassured by the thought that these two strangers he met tonight weren't simply dismissing his thoughts.
"It's almost funny, I could swear Bazzite told me the same thing, and that I was a strange Page for wanting to help and talk to him as much as I do. And I won't stop trying, that's for certain." That being said, he gave a soft, low whistle and Staccato perked up, giving Malus a last gentle head nudge before returning to Manu's side, ready to keep going.
"Thank you, again, for your help, and for the bit of hope you both gave me. If there is anything I can do to repay the favor, please, don't hesitate to ask."
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:56 pm
Malus did not want to admit that he was sad when the dog left, but he stood and brushed himself off before returning to Michel’s side. He paused and turned back to face Manu. “Can I have your phone number, maybe?”
He seemed hesitant, like asking might have been frowned upon, but Michel didn’t counter his request and just shrugged.
“We can text you if we find him. Or if we hear anything.” Malus’ eyes went to the dog once more before returning to Manu’s face. “If that’s something you’re comfortable with, at least.”
He wasn’t sure he wanted to be giving his phone number out to just anyone, but…
Anyone who cared about helping someone—helping a youma—couldn’t be that bad, right?
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