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Post by Greenie on Feb 21, 2008 21:22:51 GMT -5
Pascha strolled down the hallway of the Court of Clubs, heading for Anoushka's office. Today was his appointment for his Jack.. and just how interesting that was going to be he had absolutely no idea. The King seemed to hate him just a tad less than she used to, though she hardly loved or even liked him. She just didn't yell at him quite as much as she originally did. Anoushka, however, was the one that he got to go to if he wanted his Jack, and he was hoping to all the suits in the world that she was in a good mood. If she wasn't, this would be worse than bloody hell with a rusty fork, it would be bloody hell with a rusty, twisted spoon because there was absolutely nothing worse to him than Anoushka on a bad day. Especially not on the day of his quest. His chances of passing could very easily depend on how much she liked him today, which was more than unfair, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Complaining often hurt. As he reached her door he paused as he usually did to recollect his thoughts into the politest mindframe possible and knocked briefly to annouce his presence. [[.. Totally random title. XD]] |
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 21, 2008 22:14:40 GMT -5
This was a complicated day for Anoushka. Not only did she have to deal with the owl wanting to ascend in rank, as impartially as she could manage... HAH, as if. She was going to make the little bugger sweat for every drop of black on his marking. But the day was still complicated because of myriad other issues. She thought that it was an odd parallel, the two happening on the same day. Being herself, she was going to take complete advantage of the situation and kill two birds with one stone. Oh, if only. "You may come in now, Pascha," she called through the door. This was the first time, the very first time, that she had ever said his name out loud. If he was coming here for something as serious as raising his rank, she would give it to him. Once. And then resume with boy. She was in her office, sitting behind her desk, hands beneath her chin and golden eyes trained on the door. Here, birdy birdy... |
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Post by Greenie on Feb 21, 2008 22:31:04 GMT -5
His hand paused over the doorknob.
What had she called him?
Was that.. was that his name?
Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad afterall.. Confused but amused at the same time, he shook his emotions back out of his expression and actually turned the doorknob and entered the room.
After he saw Anoushka's expression, he quickly reversed his decision back to the original about how hard this would be. She was watching him like a cat stalks a mouse.. though they were canine and avian and she wouldn't eat him if she was paid to. Clearly, someone in the room was going to have fun with this, even if Pascha wasn't going to. At all.
The owl approached her desk and stood in front of it. "Your Highness," He said in greeting, and bowed fairly gracefully, given his biped and wings. He then clasped his hands behind his back and waited.
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 21, 2008 22:40:14 GMT -5
When he entered, the wolf sat back slightly and regarded him through eyes that were still far too intent and gleaming to be anything like 'nice'. She was half looking forward to this and half dreading it, just because she really didn't want any titled birds in the Court. But they needed the members and the help, and she wasn't going to outright deny anyone just because of their breed. More's the pity. She still wouldn't be titling any Lowlanders, though, for all that she might rank them if they actually deserved it.
"Vell, I vasn't sure this day vould ever come. Apparently it has, and apparently it's today. This leaves me vith mixed feelings. Regardless, you vish to become a Jack and a proper member of this Court. Is that correct?"
She knew very well that it was. Without waiting for a response, she continued. "I traditionally offer people who come to me a choice in their qvests. Aderlass may have mentioned this to you. I vill offer you the same choice. Vould you like to face a physical challenge? Or vould you be more comfortable vith a mental challenge?"
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Post by Greenie on Feb 21, 2008 22:55:02 GMT -5
Pascha didn't allow himself to be intimidated by her stare, despite how creepy it was to be watched like trapped prey. Anoushka was certainly scary, but if he passed, he would be working with her far more often.
When she seemed like she was going to pause in her speech he almost spoke--but she moved on so quickly that he shrugged mentally and remained silent. It was obvious enough that he wanted a title, considering how close he was to Aderlass.
Aderlass had indeed mentioned the choice he had, and he'd thought it over. The owl knew that whatever he chose was going to inevitably be the wrong choice, so therefore, neither choice was wrong--it just wouldn't necessarily be what he chose. He hadn't seen any of Anoushka's quests, but had heard enough of them to almost have an idea of what to expect. (Almost, because it was impossible to predict this particular King.)
"Mental, your Highness." He responded simply. Pascha would be well able to handle a physical challenge, though his bipedal would be a burden to him. He was physically fit, but awkward; at the same time his mental stability issues were potentially at the same level of hindrance, so didn't matter to him in the slightest if she decided to reverse his decision. He would fail on equal levels if it came to that.
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 22, 2008 12:59:00 GMT -5
Vell, considering just how mentally challenged you are already, this should be a blast.
The thought made Anoushka's expression go from vaguely bored to dangerously smirking. And then she just shook her head and let it fall into a fanged grin, teeth gleaming. "Really? You choose to test the limits of your mind? Vell, that's just fine, and it fits vith vhat I vanted to bring to your attention anyvay."
Suddenly she stood and glared at him, the expression swift and fierce. From the emotion behind it, she could very well have been contemplating ripping out his left kidney and feeding it to him, she looked so incensed. "You have been stealing from this Court," she growled low in her throat, voice down an octave from its normal husk to something positively gravelly. "And not only that, but you have been hiding it behind your 'assistance' to me and to His Majesty. It is so very convenient that ve have permitted you to assist us vith papervork, isn't it, you slimy little thief?"
She stood and leaned forward, far forward over the desk until he could very much feel the force of her hot breath ruffling his feathers. "I thought that ve couldn't trust you from the outset, but His Majesty had faith in your honestly. Obviously it vas misplaced."
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Post by Greenie on Feb 22, 2008 21:48:35 GMT -5
Pascha did his best to keep the peculiar thoughts he was having from showing on his face. Yes, really. Did she think him kidding? The limits of his mind were truly not that limiting--unless she were to present him with a needle and expect him to act coherent, he wasn't likely to simply pass out from the exertion. He hoped.
Then she began.. not yelling at him, precisely, but the more dangerous, quieter equivilent of it. Stealing? What? Obviously, this was part of the test, for he had never stolen nor never intended to. He'd lived in the bowels of hell previously and would do so again if it came down to him not having money--he had no reason to take someone else's.
"No. I have not stolen, nor do I ever intend to do so. Stealing is for the conciousless and morally weak, neither of which I would consider myself, despite any ideas you may have about me, Your Highness." He stated in a flat tone, his eyes unflinching from hers. It was possibly the only time he had ever said anything rude to her and meant it; he didn't appreciate being called a theif and a liar. Anoushka's sudden proximity startled him, and he flinched, but then did not move afterwords. "His Majesty Aderlass's faith in me is solid, despite your accusations to me. You may do what you will with your own, though I feel it necessary to state that I have never and never will do any harm to you, the Courts or members thereof while I am in control of my own mind." His tone became even more stiff, if such a thing was possible. He knew Anoushka didn't like him, though he didn't know why--and it was beginning to make him angry. Pascha had done nothing to her, and she had no reason to accuse him of anything, stealing included.
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 25, 2008 3:28:31 GMT -5
Anoushka's eyes narrowed further as he spoke and she bared her teeth in a slight snarl. And there it was, the phrase she would latch onto. "In control of your own mind? Ah, but you see, you aren't, little bird. You are in the control of someone else who has far less scruples than you do about stealing from our Qveen. You just made it easy for them. Pathetic little tool. Vhy don't ve go and see just who holds the strings to your mind, hmm?"
Without any other kind of warning, the wolf's clawed hand shot out and grabbed hold of his head in a vice-like grip. Instantly, he was in a blank, grayish haze of a place, standing all alone. It was weird, with the mist feeling warm against his feathers but leaving no kind of residue.
At the same time, off in the distance, a scene began to form. It was a busily paved street with buildings lining either side and electric lamp posts lining the sidewalks. Only one region had electric lamp posts lining whole streets. He was very obviously looking at a scene of Corvistowne. And it was creeping closer, consuming the mist, or perhaps being formed from it. As it moved nearer to him, it would be a street he could recognize, one he had seen many times before.
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Post by Greenie on Mar 1, 2008 11:57:54 GMT -5
Pascha barely had time to comprehend her words before she launched herself at him and clamped onto his head--and then he was long gone from whatever plane of reality he'd been on and was shooting to another.
Shit. Well bloody fucking hell Anoushka, did she really want him to go insane on his quest? If she wanted him to fail, which is was becoming apparent that she expected, this was certainly heading towards the quickest path.
Bloody fucking hell, he was in Corvistowne. Even worse he was on a street he'd only seen once in his life; his uncle's street. The owl had lived there for over a decade but had only seen the outside of his uncle's house once--when he had been brought, unsuspecting and naive of his upcoming battle with his sanity.
Was this really Corvistowne? Did Anoushka have the power to teleport him? To Pascha that sounded like a bit more magic than a King's ability, but he was hardly an expert on magic. Maybe he wasn't really here, and this was all an illusion... either way, he was beginning to feel a bit queasy. Pascha fought against the rising urge to find the nearest bush and puke his guts out--a lovely sign that an episode was forthcoming--and instead steeled his body and stared ahead silently, waiting for whatever was going to be thrown against him.
It was obvious that sending him to Corvistowne wasn't going to be enough to satisfy Anoushka.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 1, 2008 14:19:55 GMT -5
The scene would be exactly as Pascha remembered it, down to the smallest detail. It certainly looked like the place he'd left, the exact same place, and were he to touch something he would feel it as being quite real beneath his hand. There was even a faint breeze, like the one he remembered having whispered through the area when he first traveled here. Carried on that breeze was a familiar scent that would remind him strongly and immediately of the one person he probably never wanted to see again.
An older bird walked up the street in the owl's direction, his feathers black and oily, interspersed with streaks and patches of bright color that marked him very clearly as a native of Corvistowne. It was his uncle, as he'd last recall seeing the man, and he stopped in surprise when he saw the Tulgey standing in front of him. The edges around his beak turned down in a scowl.
"What the hell are you doing here, boy? I thought I sold you to that mouse. You should be working under him, not dawdling around here? Well? Speak up!"
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