Tainted Reality [Closed]

[petzisme]

(sorry this took so long! I was getting his history in order.)



Find someplace to hide! Small periwinkle eyes scanned the horizon franticly, looking for some form of escape. Any would do and he had such little time. Each second that went by led to another second he could be caught, or worse. He wanted to whine, to cry out, but he would not. He could be strong. Everywhere he looked, Cards were surging past on foot or upon wagons down dirt and cobblestone paths that twisted around a motley array of buildings and out of sight. There were way too many options for him to make heads or tails of where they led, and the mass number of people only made navigation that much more difficult. To anyone else on the run, getting lost in the crowds was a wonderful gift, but not for him. Even among the masses, he would be most recognizable. If it wasn't for the blazing colors of his pelt --just the thought of it's most prominent color made him wince like someone had just stabbed him in the chest-- then one brief glance at his stature would due the trick. Most ordinary Cards had two ears, two eyes, two arms and two legs, but he was not ordinary. The fates smirked cruelly down upon him and touched him with the kiss of death from the moment of his birth; SIX legs, instead of the usual four, was just one small token of their regal esteem.

Rounded ears pointed upwards as the dreadful sound of angry bellows and agitated howls reverberated off several of the brick buildings from a block or two away. Shit! He thought sorrowfully. They're gaining on me! Hide! Why can't you hide?! Panic started to seep into his system, making adrenaline run high and cool shivers race down his back. He needed to go, and now. For a moment, he thought he would be frozen to the spot, petrified by panic, but all six limbs were racing along between many tall legs before he even realized he was moving. The red and yellow paws glistened brightly against the worn gray stones beneath him, but he did not care to glance downwards for more then a second, or else he may loose his balance. Stores passed him by as he ran, eyes ever scanning the market square for a good stop to loose himself in. Just then, a wagon turned onto the main street out of no where and one of the wheels almost completely pummeled the small boy. He yelped despite himself and skid off to the side. Just now noticing the small alleyway the wagon had come from, he bolted down it without a second thought. Oh Glorious Queen, if you make them stop chasing me, I promise I'll never steal food again!

[Kasatsu]

It was her day off for the week. She had hoped to spend it with Wyn but something had come up to keep him busy. Instead of spending the day mourning the lost of his company she had decided to enjoy her day. After working hard all week on healing people, she had decided to spend the day visiting shops, people watching, and just in general in great fun.

Living in the less desirable edges of the City, the same apartment that she had grown up in, in order to get to main part of the Capital one had to travel down the alleyways. While they were pretty much harmless during the day as long as one was aware of their surrounds, during the night they could be a different matter.

Her bag slung over and across her shoulder, she hummed to herself as she took a left turn, entering the last dark alleyway that would take her onto the first of the main roads.


((Again, no worries <3 Elyse appears to be my loudest Card at the moment, so here you go XD;))

[petzisme]

Sand grated against the stone pavement as the small ferret swung himself around angular corner of a tall brick building almost a perfect ninety degrees from his previous course, not caring to forfeit even an ounce of speed. The action damn near caused him to slam into a wooden building on the other side of the mere four or five foot opening, but thankful his extra set of limbs saved him from skidding out, flipping over or smashing headfirst into the wall. Instead, his should plowed against the hot, splintering wood harshly, yanking out skin and a bit of flesh.

Ordinarily, that would have torn a ragged screech from his much too thin body, but he forced himself to swallow his pain with silent tears. Red fur replaced with red blood just seemed like the proper price he should have to pay anyway, maybe even for the rest of his life. After all, it was his fault the fur was permanently died the rich ruby anyway. A constant reminder of his sinful, cursed life, he recalled spitefully. Still, it only took a few seconds for his head to start swimming from the pain while he continued to race blindly down the narrow, dark alley. It wasn't a deep wound at all, but the youth had let himself become so frail over the past few weeks --he couldn't remember how long-- that every little thing caused undo suffering. Good. He deserved it. Pathetic little waste of space he was.

A whimper slipped past his maw as the second shoulder on his right side began to ache and swell right to the bone. All his muscles ached, but this made each racing step throb horribly. Ok, maybe he was exaggerating, but he was just a kid... and this damn thing HURT! Of course, the dull pang in his stomach didn't help much either. The small chunk of fish he gulped down hardly took of the edge, but would half to do.

So lost in the act of running and the fresh wound, the ferret did not realize his was not alone anymore until it was too late. It was dark between the tall buildings, even while the sun still hung in the sky, and the other being was black. On moment he was undulating down an empty, lesser used path and the next he threatened to crash head-long into a mystery appearance. His paws were moving too fast for him to stop within any decent amount of time and he was too afraid of the shearing agony it would cause if he put on the breaks. Already slowing with five legs, instead of six, was a real hastle and to slam down with all six might make him scream. Silent tears welled in his eyes as he tettered back and forth procariously, the unbalanced pressure making all of his actions exceeding awkward. He tried to veer to the side, but considering her less then graceful condition at the moment, the little wretch had no way of knowing what would happen. LOOK OUT! He hollered in a high pitched, effeminate tone, hoping it wasn't too late.

[Kasatsu]

She had only just made her way into the alleyway, her attention focused on thing in particular as she made the last leg of her journey. Hearing the outcry though, she brought her attention toward what was going on. Squinting with the effort to see what was ahead of her in the dark alley she was able to catch a glimpse of something small and, for all that she could tell, brightly colored.

While she appreciated the small thing's shout of warning, due to her lack of attention, it unfortunately came a little too late. Reacting more on instinct rather than on any training, she turned her body slightly so that any blow that might result from the smaller person's impact would not cause as much pain. Should the smaller one not manage to stop in time she was prepared to roll. Years of dealing with a certain mutant Bander, Monty, randomly throwing himself at her and her siblings from a outright run had taught her the best way to take a blow.

[petzisme]

No! He thought futilely the second he realized what was going to happen. Now he was stuck between a rock and hard place even tighter than before. As precious seconds slipped by, he needed to decide whether to risk increasing the severity of his wound with no promised of a sudden halt being enough, or to collide with the other Card and risk infection, pain, anger, or worst yet- Getting sent back to the hounds a few streets away. He shuddered mentally at the thought. Don't even factor in pain, you stupid fool. The dark side of him chided in an angry, self-deserving kind of tone. You deserve everything you get and more. Worthless. Useless runt. Why were you even born? A disgrace, that's what you are. And now, look... too pathetic and mourning your own losses to even consider anyone else. Now this innocent bystander is going to be punished for YOUR faults. Why haven't you DIED yet? The world would be a better place...

He whimpered pathetically, knowing the thoughts were true as he tucked the paw of his injured leg in close to his chest protectively. He just gave up with suddenly sad, broken eyes. With a last bound that was still much too quick, the mustelid pulled the rest of his legs in close to his body in a last attempt to protect himself before he collided into warm black fur with a loud thud and suggestive clatters. A stifled yelp, followed by a low whimper spilled from him when they hit, hot pain slicing through up his arm and shoulder, hunger gripping at his chest and the shock of spinning through the air making him dizzy. When he landed, he could not tell if he was tangled with the adult or with his own body, up down or sideways. It was all too dark and the pain forced him to close his eyes. He didn't want to know, didn't want to see the anger and hatred in yet another pair of eyes. Stupid. Stupidstupidstupid. He could help but think.

[Kasatsu]

Elyse let out an "Ompf" as they landed. Healer instincts taking over she wrapped her arms around the smaller one, as to not allow him harm as they landed, limbs entangled. She could heal pain and suffering but it was not within her to actually cause or allow it.

After they had landed she quickly took measure to see if anything was damaged with her. Other then a small bruise that was bound to show up on her right hip nothing else seemed to be out of place. Looking down at the person who was now held in her arms should they not have decided to pull away just yet.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her concern now being with the strangers welfare. If the little one suffered from any pain or injuries she would want to see to them as soon as possible. She really could not stand the idea of someone being in pain when something could be done about it.

[petzisme]

The boy's shoulder burned as if it was on fire due to the strain the collision put the injury. If he were thinking clearly, he'd realize his arm was pinned against his stomach in a constrictive manner and that caused the bulk of his problems, but he was not. Everything was cloudy. A thousand questioned raced past his mind, along with even more insults and painful memories that made it hard to breathe.

This was it. Why was he so stupid? He knew it was a bad idea to take that swordfish, but the smell was so tempting as we walked by and he was hungry. Originally, he was just going to look at it, but the ache got the best of him and his eyes flickered over to the shopkeep and his cronies. A little nibble couldn't hurt, right? They had plenty of fish to sell. They wouldn't miss just one piece. Without thinking, he snagged the one on the corner and took off, swallowing it down almost whole as he ran.

Unfortunately, his judgment was wrong; the shopkeep did notice the missing piece. He had only a small lead by the time he heard the angry shout. He knew they saw him, but they couldn't leave the shop unattended. At least that gave him time. Collect hunters, give the runt a head start. Now it was all over. The ferret was certain that this one would turn him in. Where was the "get-out-of-jail-free" card when he needed one? Nowhere. In this world, the warm-colored one learned nothing came without a price. He just wondered how many beatings this would accrue.

Then a sweet, feminine voice echoed in his ears and brought him back to the present. He suddenly became acutely aware of the rapid-fire sound of his ragged breath heavy on his ears. Beyond that, the bustle of the busy street crowds and what he imagined to be the hollers of angry shop attendants. Was he ok? What kind of question was that? Of course he wasn't ok. He was wretched. He sighed faintly, though it came out more as a whine than anything else.

Then, small, periwinkle eyes blinked open and were greeted with lovely violet ones. He chittered nervously, fidgeting in her grasp for the first time. Would she know? Could she see the vileness about him? The main mark on his pelt was already quite obvious. He wondered if she could smell the metallic edge that tainted his fur. Red. Everywhere was red. His curse. His burden. A part of him wanted to scream "no," that everything about him was so terribly wrong, but he held his tongue. He couldn't be the cause of her death too. He simply couldn't be. What if she was like the others? Would she shun him with murderous glares too? "Yes...?" The six-legged creature whispered in a small, tentative voice. Judging by just his words and the soft curves of his baby-like features, one might mistake him for a girl. It was an easy thing to do. He usually kept his tail tucked between his legs too, shielding what was there --the true mark of his sinful existence-- from prying eyes. At least, he hoped others would. No telling what they would do if they discovered who he really was.

[Kasatsu]

Elyse silently noted the whine that was uttered with a tilt of her head. Such a sound only came from someone who was injured or upset. She loosed her embrace, still keeping it in place but just enough so that small person might not feel like she was restraining.

She was about to question him further when voices shouting to one another, followed by a few citizens, brought her attention to the entrance of the alleyway. As they ran by she raised an eyebrow before looking back down to the child who was in her arms. She did not say anything to him, though she added two and two together hoping she came to the right conclusion. It was never a good thing to assume, she reminded herself, so she dropped the train of thought till she knew more.

Right now it was important to see just how injured the child was. She could not really begin to guess what gender the child was, through from all evidence so far she was leaning toward female.

"Tell me, where does it hurt, dear?" She asked gently.

[petzisme]

The colorful one did not pay much attention to where his body was after the collision. One could say his brain short-circuited for an instant or two from sensory overload. The chase, striking the wall then hitting this woman was all too much for him at first, but reality was slowly seeping back in. First, his acute sense of hearing returned and slowly after, his sense of smell. The earthy, filthy smell of the dark alley was not lost on him, neither was the sickening salt-metal combo of blood that dripped from his second right shoulder. This scent was real, not the one of his imagination. The boy fancied he always smelled like tainted blood... ever since that moment. The moment that would change his life forever, yet he spent the rest of his short existence striving to get back to it. He did not know how long he had been a scavenger for. It didn't seem to matter now. He was a lowly, worthless runt with no family. Who would want me? It was a wonder he was still alive. His mind kept telling him to let go. That the pain in his stomach would go away soon, he didn't need to keep struggling. That people would like him better than, after he was dead, but a part of him always struggled. Even though he head a poor outlook on life and himself, the poor creature still feared death.

He shivered softly, even though it must have been 95 degrees outside. The faint breeze the tunneled through the buildings was enough to make his shoulder scream with a renewed blaze, yet still soothe it at the same time. It perplexed him. How could something feel good and painful at the same time? His expression seemed to reflect his simple, pained confusion, that only expanded when he realized exactly where he was once again. The lingering feeling of intense warmth encircling him came at a complete surprise. Why's she still touching me? Why's she still here? Who would want to be anywhere near something as vile as he was? He must ooze with death and sin, he was sure of it. But why wasn't she running? Or looking at him with anything from hatred to distaste? It had been a very long time since someone even showed him a fleeting ounce of kindness, and the ferret didn't know how to handle it. He whimpered in befuddlement. Where was the pain? He couldn't handle this. It was so unfamiliar. He wanted things to be normal again. Tears threatened to fall but he held them back now. Why did he want to cry? This scared him too. The babe started to shake despite himself as tentative words spilled like sugar from his maw. Sick.

"Shh... shoulder." A pause. "Everywhere." Pale eyes grew wide and innocent with youth as he shivered in her grasp, fighting with himself. He seemed almost like he was expecting her to beat him, yet still some part compelled him to speak. Why? Why Why Why? Nggh. The pain. His head wavered with dizziness again as his second paw attempted to move, only to discover it was wedged between the woman and his other two limbs and his own chest.

[Kasatsu]

She felt the little one shiver and went to place a paw gently on its shoulder before she heard the reply. Concerned she placed it gently on the small child's upper arm instead. Feeling that the fur was damp she recognized it as blood, being too much for just sweat. Feeling the shivers that were racking the child's smaller form, and though it was a little chilly in the alleyway, she was also aware that there were medical reasons for one to shiver otherwise as well, especially in the case of shock.

"There, there, little one. Everything is okay. Everything is fine now. I am a healer, okay? How about you come with me and I will see to where it hurts?" She could not see to any of the wounds that the child might have in this dark alleyway, and she definitely could not tend to them here. The small child seemed scared enough as it was, so she did not want to add any more.

As she shifted to a more comfortable sitting position, preparing herself to her feet, she felt one of his limbs move against her. Only glancing down, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, she finally noticed that the small child had what appeared to be six limbs instead of the casual four.

Well that was odd . . . She was pretty sure that she had heard from her father that Elias now had six limbs, something from a run in with Eir on a good day. She had never head of anyone else having such a thing before though. Had not even realized that it was possible. Wondering if it was a birth affect of it something had happened to cause it, she waited for his reply.