[Halloween-B] Does the wolf apologize? [Solaris&Phaethon]

[Kaefaux]

Quote:

Strays (1) : Destiny City News reports several sightings of ‘feral dogs' appearing throughout the city. Those interviewed claim that the dogs would surround them and chase them down the streets, seemingly popping in and out of sight until the person finally found themselves in a well lit area. You have the misfortune of running into these same dogs.

They cling to the shadows as you go about your way at night. Seemingly at the corner of your vision, one flickers by, and you turn and see nothing. Again and again it happens. They are trying to drive you into the darkest corners of the city, herding you away from the light. In the nearby distance are the lights of the city: streetlights, signs, traffic. You have to do something to get there, to escape these creatures. When you make it to any significant light source, you hear a low growl, a wailing hiss; the dogs have vanished.

For now.

It was a personal decision to largely remain off the rooftops. Solaris knew how she was when it came to feeling the updrafts and wind currents that coiled and swam between buildings. It was too tempting to test things. But Earth’s gravity against her will, she knew which one was going to fail first.

So, instead of the park this time, Solaris wandered alleyways and streets. Her uniform and inhuman features blended in as just another costume this time of year, from what she found. She still pulled the thin fabric that hung between her hands up around herself like a shawl to better mask her wings folded tight against her.

For the most part, she was able to keep to the shadows, using the light from her senshi phone to illuminate her way when the illumination from the city beyond couldn’t reach her.

It was there, among those deeper shadows, that she began to notice things… moving? No energy tripped her proverbial sensors. No youma, no Chaos. But she definitely… saw something. Her brows knit, trying to keep an ear open for a stray animal that might have been darting about. She was more than happy to go dip into a store and get some food for them, but she wasn’t about to be a target for a confused or scared animal to attack…

“Bleh… look, if you’re gonna keep skittering around, you might as well come out,” she called with a huff towards whatever kept moving just beyond her line of sight.

Amasis

 

[Amasis]

"I'm not skittering." Phaethon couldn't help the slight indignance in his voice as he peered out from around a corner. He was noticing shadows shifting in ways he didn't like, so when he realised there was less and less light, and then he'd heard someone moving around, forgive him for being suspicious. It was almost preternaturally dark, and he was starting to get a Bad Feeling about it.

So her phone light was actually quite welcome and was what had caught his attention in the first place.

"'Come out'?" Whether it was nerves or something else, Phaethon couldn't resist the joke, "hi, my name is Phaethon, I'm genderfluid and bi. He/him right now, please. You?" He moved cautiously closer, something deep in his animal brain not wanting to keep himself to himself in the dark. Something something cultural mores about humans not being able to see well at night and social bonding something--

"Mind if I tag along?"

Kaefaux

sry for the bad humour Solaris

 

[Kaefaux]

The voice did make her jump, turning quickly as she crouched faintly. Expecting a fight, because why wouldn't that happen in a creepy, dark place? But Solaris let out a long breath, straightening when she realized she was sensing an Order signature. One who was cracking jokes.

Solaris gave a bit of a chuckle to his indignant response to her calls to the shadows, and even a snort of laughter when she realized how he'd taken come out...

"Pft... Solaris, cis female and bi, she/her," she responded in kind, aware enough of local Earth customs and vernacular to understand what he was referring to with the terms--and her own preferences to respond. She pointed her light more towards him, but not at him directly. More lighting up the area he was walking into without hopefully blinding him.

"Sure, actually I'd like the company right now. You haven't seen anything moving around here, have you? Besides me and you, I mean," she clarified, already guessing how that joke might go. She stepped closer to him step by step, intending to share the light she had. And just wanting to keep track of the other senshi.

Even now, she could have sworn she saw something just beyond the reach of the phone's flashlight, something dark and with paws. Her ears picked up the sound of.... clicking, she thought. Rapid tapping. Claws on the ground. Scratching, clicking...

But then it was gone, faded back into the darkness. She frowned.

"C'mon, let's keep moving."

Amasis

 

[Amasis]

Oh good, she liked his joke! She liked it well enough to respond in a similar fashion! He stopped himself before he could give into the temptation to crack a joke about being bisexual disasters. Would she get that joke? Would she even think it was funny?

"Oh, good," Phaethon rubbed his neck. Social norms, humans preferred to move in packs, something something. No need to be embarrassed after all!. "Was hoping you'd say that. Not about the noises though! I was hoping my monkey brain was just making those up--"

Not well enough, apparently. Even if he had been faking it and hoping to make it, he couldn't miss the way Solaris reacted to that scratching and that tapping. It reminded him of a cat with overly long nails tapping against a tiled surface. It brought goosebumps to his skin, and it was easy to agree.

"Let's."

Phaethon cautiously waited until Solaris--cis female, bisexual, she/her--started off in another direction before keeping pace with her and following. He cast quick glances over his shoulders, as if he expected someone to jump out at him, them, at any moment.

And perhaps he was.

Could never be too careful, anymore--

Kaefaux