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[ you follow them behind a particularly large tree. "This will do," the kitten says, all business now. the puppy grunts his assent. as you turn the corner, the corpse disappears. trees become rock; grass becomes sand. day becomes night.
you're fire.
you remain fire as they argue, yet again.
you watch as the kitten, voiced and body laced with desperation and hurt — absent previously, born from countless of these same arguments fought and lost — tries and fails to appeal to his comrade. the puppy, too, speaks with a finality that wasn't there before. the allure of a master is no longer just a dream.
a distant echo enters your mind, heard only by you.
"Who would you mourn?"
"One who lived and died solely at the whims of another, unable to see past the misguided loyalty ingrained in their blood."
the kitten bows his head, lifts his pack, and walks away. it's now that you remember that you could be something other than fire, if you wished.
do you:
> stay fire and rest, crackling serenely in the windless night? this was your vacation, after all. this isn't your pain. it's not your responsibility. you don't have to care; you can simply be. break yourself of that obsession that's been tying you down, and be free.
> manifest a different form, and follow the kitten? he's already fading out of sight. you'll lose him soon. ]
you're fire.
you remain fire as they argue, yet again.
you watch as the kitten, voiced and body laced with desperation and hurt — absent previously, born from countless of these same arguments fought and lost — tries and fails to appeal to his comrade. the puppy, too, speaks with a finality that wasn't there before. the allure of a master is no longer just a dream.
a distant echo enters your mind, heard only by you.
"One who lived and died solely at the whims of another, unable to see past the misguided loyalty ingrained in their blood."
the kitten bows his head, lifts his pack, and walks away. it's now that you remember that you could be something other than fire, if you wished.
do you:
> stay fire and rest, crackling serenely in the windless night? this was your vacation, after all. this isn't your pain. it's not your responsibility. you don't have to care; you can simply be. break yourself of that obsession that's been tying you down, and be free.
> manifest a different form, and follow the kitten? he's already fading out of sight. you'll lose him soon. ]
Edited 2023-09-04 22:00 (UTC)
[ despite the risk, you don't go immediately. you crackle irritably at young Ipsen's grubby paws, when he tries to feed you another stick. he doesn't understand what he's wishing for. he doesn't understand what he's going to get. he doesn't understand what he's going to LOSE.
Just like fuel in a fire, a master will eat you up to nothing, dog, you promise. And then you go out with a hiss, and are left behind as a whisper of ash flowing on the wind.
Following the kitten, at urgent speed. ]
Just like fuel in a fire, a master will eat you up to nothing, dog, you promise. And then you go out with a hiss, and are left behind as a whisper of ash flowing on the wind.
Following the kitten, at urgent speed. ]
[chirps, oh]
I liked it too. And it's okay to keep the space that you're comfortable with. I won't take it personally, I'm already happy with what we got to do.
... Can I try something, though?
I liked it too. And it's okay to keep the space that you're comfortable with. I won't take it personally, I'm already happy with what we got to do.
... Can I try something, though?
[ Ipsen doesn't hear you, but the kitten does. the unnatural shift in the wind roars in his feline ears as you rush forward.
you're you, as tangible and visible as you are in the pasture, and you don't need ground contact for a beastkin to sense you.
the kitten whirls around, immediately assuming a defensive stance, eyes flickering between you, the staff in your hand, and possible escape routes. (it's a desert. there are many.)
there's — a recognition in his eyes. ]
... You shouldn't be here.
you're you, as tangible and visible as you are in the pasture, and you don't need ground contact for a beastkin to sense you.
the kitten whirls around, immediately assuming a defensive stance, eyes flickering between you, the staff in your hand, and possible escape routes. (it's a desert. there are many.)
there's — a recognition in his eyes. ]
... You shouldn't be here.
Mm. One minute.
[birbcube goes on mute!
and a few minutes later, say... about as long as it would take someone to fly from Daffodil to Rose? there's a whoosh of flapping wings and a scrabble of clawed feet landing on the roof above angie's window. the cube chirps back on volume.]
[birbcube goes on mute!
and a few minutes later, say... about as long as it would take someone to fly from Daffodil to Rose? there's a whoosh of flapping wings and a scrabble of clawed feet landing on the roof above angie's window. the cube chirps back on volume.]
[ the first thing he does is glance at that window, then.. consciously settle himself back down, into the same pose he'd arranged himself to when he'd answered the call. this. isn't all that different to before, he tells himself, as his gaze drifts around the ceiling at the spot he best guesses Muffin's at, right this moment. ]
...Ah, my honored guest. Welcome to the barracks of the Rose Devil Army~. Do mind the sigil. [ their protective ward is probably pretty close to where he landed. ]
...Ah, my honored guest. Welcome to the barracks of the Rose Devil Army~. Do mind the sigil. [ their protective ward is probably pretty close to where he landed. ]
Edited 2023-09-04 23:20 (UTC)
[little scratching sounds from the ceiling echoed by a rustle of feathers over the call as muffin puts some extra distance between him and the sigil.]
Thank you! You have a nice roof.
Thank you! You have a nice roof.
It better be. We're up there enough. I don't like letting it get untidy. You'd be amazed at what you can do with just a few strong gales and water, well applied...
[ plus, it's something he can cheat at doing with magic instead of doing by hand. angie always jumps at the chance of that. really cuts down on the likelihood of pointed comments about chores to ignore. ]
[ plus, it's something he can cheat at doing with magic instead of doing by hand. angie always jumps at the chance of that. really cuts down on the likelihood of pointed comments about chores to ignore. ]
Edited 2023-09-04 23:37 (UTC)
[ you hang in the air in front of him, surprised, as you realize you're very very visible, and very very yourself.
...though very very yourself, in an unfamiliar outfit. huh. well. all those fire and charcoal associations appear to have swathed you in something long and flowy and red and black. it still looks appropriately Rose-esque, at least. you bring the shepherd's crook closer in to your chest, shifting your grip to something that makes you feel more secure. your tail hangs low, a little wary.
(you still hate the feeling of a weapon in your hands.) ]
No. I shouldn't. I've gone straying from my bounds, again.
...though very very yourself, in an unfamiliar outfit. huh. well. all those fire and charcoal associations appear to have swathed you in something long and flowy and red and black. it still looks appropriately Rose-esque, at least. you bring the shepherd's crook closer in to your chest, shifting your grip to something that makes you feel more secure. your tail hangs low, a little wary.
(you still hate the feeling of a weapon in your hands.) ]
No. I shouldn't. I've gone straying from my bounds, again.
Edited 2023-09-04 23:51 (UTC)
[ the kitten's tail tenses; the confusion at your outfit and words immediately giving way to even more suspicion. he's much, much smaller than you, at this age, his presence both stronger and weaker than the Blood Fiend you know. here, you can tell his raw power surpasses the limitations of the pasture, but next to you he's but a sliver. an A-rank Regular is still worlds apart from a Ranker.
he knows this, too. regardless — he stands his ground, defiant. ]
Do you have a death wish?
he knows this, too. regardless — he stands his ground, defiant. ]
Do you have a death wish?
...
I'm surprised you haven't been vaporized already. Why are you following me?
I'm surprised you haven't been vaporized already. Why are you following me?
[ his eyes narrow ]
I have no idea what you're talking about. You have the wrong person, Ranker.
I have no idea what you're talking about. You have the wrong person, Ranker.
[a light thump overhead. muffin's sat down.]
Might have cleanest roof in pasture if you're doing that. Ours just gets rained on.
Might have cleanest roof in pasture if you're doing that. Ours just gets rained on.
... Are you mocking me, Ranker? It would be foolish for anyone to travel these parts without means of detecting motion.
[ he's bullshitting; it was absolutely his feline senses that gave you away. still, you sense three invisible objects floating around him, forming a transparent barrier around his person, not unlike Protect. the objects feel like Blood Fiend's lighthouse, strengthened by tenfold. even the most basic of lighthouses in the Tower make pasture equipment look like child's toys. ]
[ he's bullshitting; it was absolutely his feline senses that gave you away. still, you sense three invisible objects floating around him, forming a transparent barrier around his person, not unlike Protect. the objects feel like Blood Fiend's lighthouse, strengthened by tenfold. even the most basic of lighthouses in the Tower make pasture equipment look like child's toys. ]
[ his mouth twists in (misdirected) contempt. ]
You wouldn't dare. Rules are rules. You know that as well as I do.
Whatever you're offering, I'm not interested.
[ you feel the invisible barrier strengthen. adjusting his pack, the kitten turns to walk away. ]
You wouldn't dare. Rules are rules. You know that as well as I do.
Whatever you're offering, I'm not interested.
[ you feel the invisible barrier strengthen. adjusting his pack, the kitten turns to walk away. ]
[laughing,]
We can't run out! Is rain! The lake that's going up is coming back down.
We can't run out! Is rain! The lake that's going up is coming back down.
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