New Sights, New Smells [Closed]

[odi]

It was a sensory overload. All around him were bright banners advertising stalls selling all sorts of unnecessary items, and all around him throngs of people were buying them. It was loud too; people were laughing, yelling, trying to barter. Down the way, someone was singing about the benefits of her anti-aging cream. Above it all, wind chimes on display tinkled in the breeze, making a sound like water. That, at least, was calming.

But Mangeur did like it here; even if was a bit overwhelming. It was never boring, and every day brought about new things to discover. And the food! Ah, that indeed was to die for! There were candied nuts, fried bananas, and best of all - every flavor of ice cream imaginable. It surprised him that he could still walk, what with the great amount he ate...

He ought to reward himself though; his journey had been long and dull. And once he wandered back to Torquehelm the weight would just fall right off; it always did in that dreadful place.

But for now, the feline was feeling puckered out. He looked for a place to rest, just for a moment, but there wasn't one to be found near the bustling streets. Maneuvering through the crowds, he managed to find an abandoned bench that was far enough from the excitement that it was reasonably quiet. He sat up with back leaning against the wood, and just watched everyone go about his or her daily business. He liked doing this too, just watching everything go by.

[Greenie]

"Ah, what a glorious day!" The words were bellowed from the lips of an ordinary-sized but extraordinary-colored canine that was currently sitting on the highest point of a statue. It was an ugly statue, one of the Queens of old that 'interesting' facial features and horrible wardrobes, but people made statues of them anyways because it was the only way to 'honor' their Queens.

Casey was completely irreverant of the statue and was, infact, sitting on the face of the canine to the point where it was now impossible to define it's gender (the clothing was somewhat ambiguous). It didn't phase him that the statue was of a previous Queen of Hearts, or that it was weilding an impressive looking sword, for he began singing away merrily about the sun, the sky, and fair maidens. It only made sense if you were listening carefully but his voice itself was intruiging and it made you want to listen..

..though anyone that listened to a dog sitting on a statue singing might have some problems.

[odi]

Mangeur could feeling his eyelids growing heavy. A great yawn escaped his throat; the buzzing in his bound leg always seemed to lull him to sleep. Everything around him seemed to grow quiet, then dark. He was about to drop off to sleep.

Until he heard it. Singing. It somehow sailed atop the other sounds of the city and managed to reach his ears. Mangeur didn't possess any extraordinary musical knowlege, but he knew he was listening to something especially captivating.

For a moment he sat in a daze, his eyes closed, just listening. He was afraid this was a dream, that he'd open his eyes and it disappear. Tentatively, he cracked one eye open, then the other. No, the singing continued! He couldn't exactly catch the lyrics, but they seemed happy, maybe hopeful. Certainly something to investigate.

Leaping from his perch, the feline ably averted all distractions and after a time stumbled upon the Queen of Hearts statue. And there it was, the actual singer, sitting atop the statue. Mangeur looked up, and though the sun stung his eyes, he manged to see...a poodle? A very colorful poodle at that. Unusual, but Mangeur was a composed creature. He wanted to introduce himself, but he didn't want to interrupt the canine's song.

[Greenie]

The poodle didn't notice Mangeur approaching, awestruck, nor did he notice anyone else. He was so absorbed in his own song and in his own reflection (for a window on a building across the street was showing off his beautiful fur quite nicely) that he wasn't looking down at all, so much that he was really lucky he hadn't fallen off yet. His song rapidly became louder and more boisterous as he got into the groove of it, though the lyrics became more and more incomprehensible, having something to do with a 'Gaston', mice, and a tree--it made sense in Casey's mind, but Casey's mind often went on tangents without him noticing.

After a few minutes of loud, compelling (yet off-key at the same time) singing, he abruptly stopped, bowed, and toppled a bit on his perch. The Queen's head was not particularly wide, despite her being slightly overweight; he grappled at her crown for a grip and got it after a few seconds, though his position became much less regal and much more wary as he glared at the statue for making him lose his balance.

It was all the statue's fault. Stupid Queens.

[odi]

Well...the voice was amazing, but now that he was up close, the lyrics were strange. Something about a tree, if Mangeur was hearing correctly. The more he listened to it, the less sense it made. The canine seemed too wrapped up in himself to notice anything was amiss, Mangeur couldn't help chuckling to himself. He liked amusing characters, he liked entertainers. This poodle would probably prove to be both.

The canine was getting more and more involved in the song, and his voice faltered noticably, but Mangeur was too anxious for his safety to notice. The statue wasn't particularly immense, but falling off would hurt quite a bit. And indeed, as soon as the thought crossed his mind, the canine bowed and toppled over. Mangeur ran swiftly over, watching the figure waver above, hoping he wouldn't have to try and catch him. Luckily for them both, the poodle managed to position himself on the Queen's crown.

"You, there," Mangeur called up, almost laughing. "You okay?"

[Greenie]

Casey had began surveying the crowd with an expression that could be deemed haughty or superior, though he did pause to squint at a young lady who was arguing with a man and appeared as though she was getting slapped. After a moment of watching her the poodle simply shrugged and moved his gaze elsewhere. Mangeur's call startled him, but not because of his words, but more because someone was actually speaking to him. He was on a statue! Who spoke to crazy people on statues?

"Me?!" Casey exclaimed, looking down upon the Torquehelm with wonder. "What do you want with me, kind sir? I am but a lonely wanderer keeping an eye on the city lest it go amiss, how may I be of assistance to you?" If he noticed that his words were slightly out of place for their time period or that his outrageous accent was comical, he hid it well, and peered down at Mangeur from his perch.

[odi]

Well, Mangeur knew he wasn't crazy. He was, in fact, quite a literal and down-to-earth creature. So, as he was able to rule out his possible lapse in sanity, there really must be a canine singing on a statue. And he, like any sensible being, was curious as to why, even if the answers made no sense at all.

"What, do you mean to tell me a fellow can't take an interest in another's well-being?" The feline called up, now chuckling out loud. The poodle he was talking to was really quite an interesting thing. Mangeur was finding it hard to get past the accent, not to say he was condescending. It was all just very odd...

"If I remember correctly, you were about to fall off," he added with a quick smile. "And since you have a very remarkable voice, that would be a real shame." Mangeur, always the flatterer.

"But excuse me, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Mangeur, pleased to meet you." The feline inclined his head.

[Greenie]

On the contrary, Casey was quite crazy, though he did not know it.

"What? Do you insult me?" Casey called down in an enraged voice, though he really just hadn't heard the canine and so made a reaction up. He did that, sometimes, when he didn't feel like asking someone to repeat what they'd said.

"Do you mean to cause HURT UPON MY PERSON?!" He continued, his face contorting into a mask of outrage. ".. What? .. Oh. Nevermind then," He replied loftily. "You compliment my voice, so you must not mean me any harm."

It was very true. His voice was akin to the angel's cry.. though he was nothing compared to Gaston. (No one was! To say so is to blaspheme!)

Mangeur? What kind of name was that? "What kind of name is that? I am the Vigilant, though you may certainly not call me V, for that is a horrible nickname."

[odi]

(ooc| Sorry it took so long, my internet's been down. XD;)

The most dangerous type of crazy person is one who doesn't know they're crazy, but they are usually also the most interesting. Mangeur knew from experience, most of his closest friends were a bit touched in the head, that a slight dose of insanity made people so much more intelligent, passionate, and talented. Not necessarily more kind, of course, but one couldn't have everything.

A wide, cheshire cat grin spread across the feline's face at the poodle's accusations. "No, of course not," he bent back his neck in order to see the figure above. "Quite the opposite, really," he called up louder, to avoid being misheard.

At the next outrageous statement, Mangeur couldn't help but bark out his laughter. "I'm not a violent person, not at all." His eyes crinkle up as he smiled as, just like that, the canine changed his mind completely. "You know, if you came down there wouldn't be so many misunderstandings. I'd offer to climb up there, but there isn't enough room, and I never was the best of climbers anyway," he motioned to his bound leg. "But yes, I was complimenting you. Good voices are hard to come by, and you have one of the best I've ever heard." Not that that would be difficult, those from Torquehelm were usually too sad to sing.

"I believe it's French," Mangeur smiled, not dazed by the tone in the canine's voice. "I wouldn't dream of it, V is ugly indeed. But is there another name to go with 'the Vigilant'? Something like Robert, for instance?"

[Greenie]

[[Quite honestly, I have little muse for this thread. I can try to continue if you want though, do you have anything you want to get out of this?]]