|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 7:44 pm
demon_pachabel I finally managed it! ;~; Itsuki was King of the Jungle!The thick brush in which he found himself was hot and humid, but the Mauvian didn't seem to mind too much. He was focused on exploring, chasing the odd dragonflies flitting from leaf to leaf. Leaping into the air, grasping with his squishy paws, Itsuki landed in soft dirt and shook himself, his prize escaping. He wasn't interested in eating the dragonfly, but catching it would be an accomplishment. He could be a real hunter!Shadows hung low beneath sun-drenched leaves, the canopy swaying in a heady wind. Itsuki trotted through dying leaves and thick tree roots, clambering over moss-covered rocks and dancing around oddly-colored mushrooms. He laughed, eyes full of wonder, finding a huge boulder on which to climb, Itsuki could stretch out and sun himself like a real apex predator. First thing's first, however - Itsuki had to roar fiercely to announce his presence to the jungle. Taking a deep breath, the lilac point climbed to the highest point on the boulder, many vines and low-hanging leaves serving as appropriate jungle decor for his new throne. "Watashi wa shishi-sama~!!! GAAAOOOO!!"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:25 pm
Someone was there. Attentive and annoyed, the spotted feline moved from perch to perch, a low rumble deep in his chest as he looked over the white feline that was now in his domain. Before any inch of amusement that could have existed at the ironic visitor, there was suspicion. There was distrust and uncertainty. And there was a part of him that flinched at the greeting that was projected out into his territory. His territory. Itsuki's declaration was answered by the lunging form of the leopard, who pounced with a fierce bellow. One-two leaps up the boulder, the jungle cat was soon nearly upon the lilac point, all claws and teeth - though neither was targeted at Itsuki in more than show. The leopard leaned in closely and with a gravelly rumble spoke; " Ore wa Komainu Heika." Though it sounded more like an assertion, than an introduction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:39 pm
”AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!”Finding a real King of the Jungle, with teeth and claws to match, never crossed the tiny cat’s mind. In fact, he didn’t know precisely how he got to this jungle with its heat and humidity. Tumbling off the rock in a panic, Itsuki landed in a puddle of lilac fur between the great leopard’s feet, curled up and trembling. Paws covered his face and his fluffy tail was wrapped around his midsection. Nothing could save such a tiny cat from claws bigger than his forearm. Itsuki would be shredded like ribbon. But, shockingly, the leopard did no such thing. Introducing himself in Japanese, Itsuki’s tiny ear shot up in recognition, eyes slowly opening to stare up at the majestic form of the single greatest cat he’d ever met. “Moushiwake gozaimasen deshita!!” he squeaked, issuing the most formal apology his fuzzy brain could produce. Plopping his body onto the soft earth, Itsuki dropped his ears and bowed as deeply as he could to the Magnificent Komainu. Komainu, as Itsuki knew, were guardian deities - protectors of sacred places such as temples and shrines. Did the Mau accidentally stumble upon a shrine, protected by this fierce leopard? Itsuki knew from his reading that komainu were typically lions, but he’d never met a real one before, so he certainly wasn’t going to argue! “Gomen nasai, Komainu Heika! I got so excited to be in a jungle that I did not think it was a sacred place. Please forgive me!” Oh shoot… did His Majesty even speak English? Itsuki wasn’t sure, in his fright, that he could carry a proper conversation completely in Japanese. If his life depended on it, he would certainly try his best. ”I am not sure how I came here but it is very green and lovely. You are wonderful, Your Majesty!! I am not tasty. Please no eat!! I am spicy!!” Itsuki knew it wasn’t perfect when his Japanese came barrelling from his mouth, but it was worth a shot. Cowering again before the leopard, the Mau prepared for the worst.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 11:23 am
As the small feline tumbled into a pile of fear, Leopard's Eye settled in, his golden eyes passing him over as he fumbled over his words - between apologies and compliments to hopefully keep himself from being eaten. It was, to some extent, amusing and even from where he sat, he could tell that this one was but a baby - at least by comparison to himself. " Those who come here with purpose are up to no good," he warned, though he did do Itsuki the honor of putting both claws and teeth away and out of their threatening postures. Still, it was like a language he knew but also hadn't remembered he knew, was rumbling about in his mouth like an old familiar flavor that he had somehow not tasted in years. Words had been like that in general, recently, but this one was an old and familiar thing - something he'd been tucked in with that felt more natural. " You are too raw and the wrong flavor for eating, young visitor. But it is a bad habit to declare oneself a ruler in unknown places. The locals may not agree." He used old, familiar words that wouldn't have been anybody's first choice for teaching to a young one. Would they be perhaps beyond this small one's comprehension?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 7:43 pm
You are too raw and the wrong flavor for eating, young visitor. But it is a bad habit to declare oneself a ruler in unknown places. The locals may not agree.Komainu Heika had a point, and Itsuki nodded, partly shocked and partly in incredible awe of such a magnificent creature. The Mauvian didn't risk getting too close, but simply being in the presence of a leopard was quite the experience in and of itself. His spots were lovely, his coat luxurious... He was greater and lovelier than Itsuki could ever hope to be. And he knew Japanese!What incredible fortune! "What do you mean by up to no good? What is this place, Komainu Heika? I don't... remember how I got here?" Hmm, that was indeed very strange. Itsuki brought a paw to his chin to ponder. No matter how hard he through about it and how much he concentrated on mentally back-tracking to figure out how he arrived here, it was all blank. "I promise I'm not trying to do anything bad, Komainu Heika! It's a beautiful jungle and if it's a sacred place then I want to honor it properly! Are there more komainu here? Are you by yourself?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:51 am
Leopard's eye looked over the small feline as he expressed more of his confusion, rumbling like the volcano he called his home. The continued line of questioning strained his brain, his ears folding back as he thought about it. There was.....Quail. And Seal. They were not Komainu, they were... " Guardians, though not the same as myself. Much farther away. In other places," he answered slowly. " So here, it is only me." And lately, it seemed, others. Not of his kind, but of the sort like Itsuki here. " I am Leopard's Eye, small one. You are here, but you are also not here. This is a domain of dreams - though you have not dreamt this place into being." he was rather quick to point that much out. He didn't want the small feline thinking he may have more to do with this than he did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:42 am
"Are you lonely, Komainu-heika?" Plopping down into Traditional Cat Loaf Position, Itsuki sought to learn everything he could from his magnificent talking leopard. "Since the other Guardians aren't here? I'll be your friend, Komainu-heika! Tomodachi~?" Leopard's Eye? That's an odd name. thought the Mau. Komainu-heika is much more elegant, but if that is his name, then I should call him that! I must be respectful, or he might squish me...Itsuki tilted his head in clear confusion. "Yume? I am dreaming? But then how can I talk to you, Leopard-sama? It doesn't feel like a dream. Did... did I invent you? I don't think I'm creative enough for that, but... You are very magnificent! I'm glad you're a big cat, Leopard-sama. If I dreamed you up, at least you're a cat too! A very sugoi leopard!" The Mau tapped his paws happily against the earth. He didn't believe for a moment that he had dreamt up Leopard-sama, but was thankful he was able to meet such a magnificent Guardian, regardless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 3:41 pm
" I am not...lonely." Leopard replied, almost too quickly to Itsuki's inquiry. " I can see the other guardians if I will it." but he hadn't in some time, almost as if something was purposely keeping him away from the domains of water and air. No. That was silly. He was simply happy where he was, that was all. Yes. He sat as Itsuki made his inquiry, ears pricking up, then folding back, a low rumble in his chest. It sounded less annoyed - or threatening - and more like a bubbling amusement. " Where we are exists whether you are dreaming or not, Small Guardian. If you had dreamt of water, you would have met Seal's Eye. Or if you had wished to fly, perhaps Quail's." How did one explain that the place dreams came from was....real? " You did not dream me up. Think of this place as somewhere you entered using sleep like a teleporter."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:48 pm
Itsuki's ears pricked and he sat back down on the earth, catbun-style, while listening to Leopard-sama's powerful and rumbling voice. "I'm glad you can see your fellow Guardians, Leopard-sama! There are Seals and Quails? I've never met a Seal or a Quail-sama. Are they nice? Do you visit them often, Leopard-sama? Are they like your siblings?" The Mau tilted his head. How would a seal or a quail be related to a Leopard? Then again, the Mauvians were all related in a strange sort of way. "You know, Leopard-sama, I'm glad I didn't dream you up, because I don't think I could dream up something so sugoi~ I've never met a leopard before, so it would probably be based on movies and those aren't always so accurate! Or animal documentaries... but those leopards don't live in special dream-jungles!" Nodding to himself, Itsuki thought he was starting to understand what was going on. Whether that was the truth... Well, that remained to be seen. "Leopard-sama, what do you guard? If you are a Guardian, what is special in the dream-jungle? OH, maybe I shouldn't ask? If it's a secret, it should stay that way, shouldn't it?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:24 pm
" We are brothers in purpose, but not in flesh," there was no way he could be related to a Quail or a Seal, after all. No, that was...silly. They didn't even have biological similarity. Still, he scrunched his face up for a brief moment as he considered it, as though it was an itch his mind couldn't scratch. " I am sure your mind is more knowing than you think it is. But it is safer for everybody that I was not dreamed into being," then where had he come from, besides where they were currently? He knew he hadn't been born into the ether of Elysion, but....His tail thumped a few times as his mind struggled after some thought he couldn't dig out. "It is what these places all connect to. There is a layer between most dreams, and this place which can only be entered in sleep," not entirely true, but it was the easiest way to explain it. "I keep those who fall through that layer from going to places they shouldn't. Getting into trouble that is better kept away."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 10:48 am
Itsuki couldn't help the tippy-taps of excitement, squishy beans on dream-jungle earth. Learning more about this magnificent Leopard seemed to be his number one goal in life. At this very moment. It would probably change when he woke up. Sitting at Leopard's feet like a student, Itsuki's tail swished back and forth with each bit of information he might glean from this fabulous feline. "Ah! Ah! So you're like the senshi! They're not related but they all have a common purpose! Except they're not the most sugoi cat ever! You're the best gate-keeping leopard, Leopard-sama!" The Guardian Cat had no real desire to go where he shouldn't, unless he was accompanied by the massive cat who knew much more about this place than he did. Maybe they could go on a dream field trip someday? "Do you need an assistant, Leopard-sama??" Placing a paw on his chest and puffing it up as best he could, Itsuki attempted to create a resume that might impress a dream leopard. "I'm very good at learning! And I have lots of senshi - and two knights!! - in my care! And... I'm a cat! Who would be better at helping a honto sugoi neko than another neko! Eh?? What do you say, Leopard-sama?" cat_biggrin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:27 pm
Leopard’s ears flicked back pointedly at the mention of Senshi. He didn’t dislike them, but he was also not as particularly fond of them overall as he could have been. As clearly as Itsuki, with his talk about his court and the knights it invited to it, was of them. They and the Negaverse had all been trouble that needed to stay in their lane. “If I cannot do it alone, I would rather Helios find it in herself to replace me,” he answered to Itsuki’s very passionate and hopeful offer. “You sound to have many responsibilities all over already. It would be better that way.” It was a nicer sounding way than simply telling Itsuki that perhaps his calling was not in the position of being a Dream Guardian.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 10:21 am
Itsuki's ears dropped when his offer to become a Dream Leopard Apprentice was rejected. Leopard-sama must know what he was doing. But who was Helios? "Ie, Leopard-sama. Don't worry, I would vouch for you! Whoever Helios-sama is, well, she better not replace the finest leopard in all of... everywhere!" Lifting his paws and sitting on his hind legs, Itsuki attempted to gesture to the entirety of the dream jungle in which they sat. Instead, it probably just looked like he was attempting to fly with his arms as wings. "I would say, Helios-sama, please do not replace Leopard-sama! He is the best leopard this neko has ever met! He does a very fine job! Maybe he could use a vacation, though. And maybe a pay raise. Guarding a dream world must be very exhausting, Leopard-sama. Do you ever get to sleep and not guard something? You get breaks, don't you, Leopard-sama? And what about paychecks? Does Helios-sama pay you at all?" But then again, what would a big cat in a dream jungle do with cash? The leopard was right, however. Only he could really do his job. As a non-Dream Guardian, Itsuki might simply get in the way. And besides, Paul-sama needed all the guarding he could get!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 4:45 pm
To have a fan so quickly should have been amusing. But there was something about the things that Itsuki that name said that just made his brain itch. Like something stuck between teeth that it was impossible to pull out on one's own. Things he shouldn't have had a real concept of, but felt a deep longing for. "Sleep? I am-" As if startled by something, Leopard jerked up to his feet. His actual feet, twisting between the body of a leopard, into that of a man, then back into the body of a Leopard again, his tail swishing from side to side in some unknown agitation. What in Elysion was that? He didn't comment on the moment, ears flattening back. "I am sleep. I do not sleep." I am sleeping. The thought nagged at him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:06 pm
"Ehh... Leopard-sama?" Itsuki tilted his head, suddenly concerned by his big cat Dream Guardian Best Friend Forever's unusual reaction. Usually (and by that, we mean however much dream-time had elapsed since Leopard scared the fluff out the tiny Guardian and this particular point in dream-time), Leopard-sama was very calm, cool and collection. Now? Now he was mutating.The Guardian was suddenly very deadpan. "Leopardsamayougotreallyweirdforasecareyouokay." Was he sick? Itsuki could have sworn Leopard became a person for a moment or two, then whooshed back to a spotty-dotty cat again. Perhaps Itsuki was accidentally changing his form? But the Dream Guardian had said it was his dream, or something? The tiny lilac point had no idea what was going on. "Leopard-sama, are you sick?" Itsuki reached out a paw, gently touching the big cat. "Can I dream up medicine for you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
