[FINI] A Gathering in the Park

[Vyn]

Xylia gave Tavor a light and affectionate bump with her head, trying to reassure and cheer him up. She felt bad for making him so uncomfortable but...it really was best that he have somewhere to go if he ever wanted somewhere.

Not to mention that Mom and Maxwell would probably do just about everything in their power to teach Tavor the essentials he had missed out on. Corvies, and those of like minds, were just like that.

"I think it'd be a wonderful idea." She wagged her small stub of a tail, beaming at him until Cecilia interjected.

She was finally figuring out what Xylia had just done and wasn't entirely sure she approved but she was right, Mommy Maxwell wouldn't scoop him up in a second. "Do you have anything you want to bring with you, Tavor? It'd probably be best to get it now."

Xylia grinned as Cecilia spoke up. Not with her half-attentive response from before, but a more logical and put together thought. She was glad she wouldn't have to explain it to the young Torque and she'd brought up a rather useful idea.

[Kitty]

Why... why was everyone being so nice to him? Well, everyone being the two does but still, this was so far out of the usual that Tavor didn't know what to think. Surely if these two girls were so very nice this Maxwell they spoke of was certainly just as kind or, maybe, kinder? He couldn't imagine what someone nicer then these two would be like. Their kindness and his own awkwardness made him blush probably the darkest shade of red yet, he could even feel the blush in his big, white, fuzzy ears. If one could die of shyness, Tavor would have already keeled over dead at some point this afternoon.

At their suggestion he simply nodded, not really sure what to say really. He knew exactly where the two things he wanted to bring with him were located and he scampered off, suddenly disappearing inside the mass of tangled, thorny vines. In his haste a few of the thorns bit at his ears and his sides, cutting little grooves in his skin, but he didn't mind and the only cuts that would really be noticeable at all would be on his ears where the little bit of blood drawn would show rather well against the white fur.

He'd return with something green, and somewhat dirty (he'd been using it as a bed), rolled up and clutched in his mouth and a delightful pink, white and grey bander at his heels. The fur-ball was sleepy and looked to have just woken up, but it followed him none the less.

O-ok.... I'm... ready.

He couldn't believe this, he was leaving? It seemed almost surreal really. But he still hadn't met this Maxwell yet, he still might freak about his tail like so many others did and send him back here ...

[Vyn]

Both girls waited patiently while Tavor vanished into the bushes and, when he returned, Cecilia jumped back from the Bander wearily and watched it with a hint of nervousness.

O! She didn't like Banders at all! They were nippy, bite-y things and... Well, okay, this one seemed rather sleepy and obedient and if it listened to Tavor it probably wouldn't bite her. Unless it was like Mocha. The doe's thoughts whirled in nervousness and finally she settled on ignoring it so long as it ignored her.

Oblivious to Cecilia spazzing over the Bander, Xylia noted the sheepish male's bleeding ears and worried over them as she lead them toward the park once more. It should be about time to meet up with Maxwell anyway...

* * *

When they arrived at the park at last, Xylia cast around for Maxwell and Cecilia quickly hauled herself as far from the Bander as was possible without being rude. They really did unnerve her terribly. Vicious little monsters. Even if they were pink and fluffy and cute. Liesss.

At last Xylia spotted the Torque feline and she gave a little yell, bouncing lightly to catch his attention and draw him closer. "Maxwell!"

[Kiki]

Kitty and Vyn receive 1 token each, to be redeemed in Ashwin's Shoppe. This will automatically be added to your recorded totals in the shoppe. Congratulations, and keep up the good RP!

[Shinigami]

Maxwell looked up from his current project when he heard the sound of his...well, she practically his daughter, right alongside Cecilia and Helen, but the genetics weren't his. His step-daughter, then? Well, when Xylia called his name, the cat looked up to find her, his Torquehelm daughter, and...a rather odd little thing following after the pair of them. A rat, it seemed, though there were feathers and wings, which argued quite powerfully for him to be a mixed-breed like Solo. The coloration most certainly indicated that he was part Lowlander, but the blues and grays...Sorgaire? What an odd child. Maxwell was fascinated. His attention was assured even more when he noticed that the poor little thing looked like he hadn't had a good meal in quite some time - he was thinner than little Seki! - and he needed a good wash as well.

Helen, curled up at her mother's side, looked toward the trio of approaching Cards as well, the silver bell around her neck rolling a bit but remaining silent. None of them were a danger to her, and so she regarded the newcomer with her usual glassy purple stare, both sister and half-sister quite thoroughly ignored for the time being. It took her a bit, but she finally stood up, star manacles clanging, to stand beside the pure Torquehelm feline as he too gained his feet, though far more gracefully than she.

"There you are, Xylia, Cecilia! Who's your friend?" he asked cheerfully, leaning down toward the rat-bird to sniff inquisitively. He smelled of flowers, oddly enough, and pond-water, but a good, solid bath would definitely do him well, and they could take care of the wounds on his hind-quarters. Then Maxwell would see if Ophelia could provide them with some of the high-nutrient food she'd been working on for Seki, because too much food all at once would undoubtedly make the boy sick. But he was determined to get some food in the poor thing.

"A little lostling, born all alone in the flower patch, with only the sticks and stones for soft comfort. How are they at mending bones broken by harsh words?" Ladies and gentlemen, Helen.

[ooc: She insisted on tagging along.]

[Kitty]

As he trotted along with the two does, having to take quicker steps so that his short legs could keep up with their naturally long strides, he gained a bit of confidence. This wasn't so bad so far ... he didn't know where he was going but.... surely it would be better then sleeping in dirt. Right? Well, it was looking like he was going to find out soon enough.

His attention was drawn to the form Xylia had called out to and instantly that small amount of confidence dropped to the floor. His ears and tail seemed to want to follow suit as well as each lowered as his trot turned into nervous walk and then into a halt. The cat was big, especially compared to him, and there was another stranger along side him, Tavor didn't do well in a crowd either. He couldn't fight back the tremble that ran it's way over his body, this was generally when people completely changed their game ... once they were all together. This was when ... when they'd get him.

He tried to make himself as small as possible and only succeeded in making himself look far more pathetic then usual. He couldn't help it, in all honest truth.... Tavor was frightened.

[[ So glad you could join us <3 ]]

[Vyn]

Xylia beamed widely up at Maxwell, bouncing lightly as he approached and giving him a happy nuzzle as he stepped up to greet Tavor. Helen was there too, which was always a pleasure even if the girl was a little off sometimes. "Hi Helen!" She didn't bother expecting an answer, Helen would reply on her own time.

...Even if that was two hours later or something.

"This is my new friend, Tavor. Tavor, this is my Maxwell and that..." Xylia paused as her sister spoke, smiling oddly. "...is Helen." But, in the direction her focus was really aimed, she could see her "step-mother's" thoughts turning and sliding down the same path as her own. They really were kin, even if it was only in the mind. "He doesn't have anywhere to go, Maxwell, do you think he can come home with us? Please?"


Cecilia cringed when she saw Helen, her eye twitching as the doe drew away. Helen was so... weird! What kind of Torque acted like that? And what was with her riddle-speeches? She sounded crazy and Cecilia simple...despised it all. It made her skin crawl.

[Shinigami]

The young rat-mix was looking up at him with complete fear, body language quite plain in screaming, "I'm afraid that you're going to hurt me," young eyes absolutely huge, and Maxwell's heart gushed out to the little mixed-breed in a huge flood of love and tenderness. Xylia and Maxwell were really two peas in a pod, at least when it came to taking in little lostlings like this, because they needed the comfort and love.

In an attempt to lessen the fear in the child's eyes, he lowered himself back to the ground, partially so that the two of them could be on eye-level, and partially so that his bulk - though it wasn't as much as it could be, since he tended toward lanky rather than the huge size he was capable of - was reduced a bit. Purple braid flopping over his shoulder in a bright, eye-catching target, he turned his grin from the cheerful beam down to something far warmer, more comforting.

"Hello there, Tavor," he said. "It's good to meet any friend of my children's!" Then Xylia dropped the news on him that the poor thing didn't have anywhere at all to go, and sympathy entered his eyes immediately. An orphan...well, he knew that feeling, so maybe it was quite a bit more empathy than sympathy. "I know that it's very difficult to live by yourself, if you don't happen to have any parents or family around to help you. You'd definitely be welcome in my home, little one. I won't force you to come with us, of course, but the offer is there if you want it. What do you say?" He ached in every part of his being for the child to come with them, if only so that he could help him out some. Part of Helen's random words suddenly made sense, which was disconcerting none the less, and he wondered how she figured some of those things out.

Helen herself apparently noticed her sister's rather upset reaction toward her...which, of course, only prompted her to stare intently at Cecilia, to try and figure out what had caused that odd revulsion. How fascinating...

[Kitty]

Adults didn't catch the youth's trust so easy as they were generally far more cruel then younger cards. He was, however, torn. Maxwell was making an attempt to soothe his worried, frightened mind, and he was some sort of kin to Xylia but stil... he was rather impressive to the little rattling. He hugged himself with his wings, feathered tail tip flicking up in a slight curl of interest whilst the rest of his body remained rigid and crouched. He did not look like he was going to bolt though, he knew short legs could only carry you so far and so fast and when you were caught... .well, the results were often worse then if you'd just stayed and took whatever it was that was dealt.

He.... wanted to cry, really he did, but he bit back on that and forced his ears up as far as he could get them, which happen end to only be halfway. It wasn't much but it was something. He swallowed hard and peered over at Xylia for a moment, the cat didn't scare her but.... they were related, right? Would that make a difference? He wasn't entirely sure but peering at the happy doe made him try a little harder. He looked back at Maxwell, forcing his front up so that he was sitting rather then cowering, even if he was still trembling slightly, and tried to speak. All that came out of his mouth was an embarrassing and rather rodent-esque squeak, which instantly made his cheeks turn a nice shade of crimson and after he simply nodded his head in agreement. He'd go, even if they skinned him alive on the way there.

[Vyn]

Xylia scooted up closer to Tavor when he looked at her, smiling reassuringly. The poor thing was still absolutely terrified, even with Maxwell being the very image of understanding compassion. He was the nicest person she knew and more of a parent to her than, well, some... She licked Tavor's ear reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Tavor. Maxwell is the nicest, you can trust him." She smiled still, little deer tail wagging swiftly. "I'll protect you too, so you don't have to be afraid of anything."

He had nodded though, so even if he was afraid than he was coming home with them. That alone was cause for delight, except for his being afraid bit. She would have to help work that out of him.


Cecilia, meanwhile, was once again having too many of her own problems to pay attention to the subject at hand. Helen was staring now, as she usually did when she was being creepy. It was as if the little deer wasn't content at being weird at other people, but also had to bring it back as well. Ugh.

"Hi Helen." She said gently, smiling despite the way her ears pressed to her skull.