A strange intrigue... [Closed]

[Vyn]

Tolius twitched a little at how quickly Sabien attempted to 'move in' and found himself smiling sadly at the male. It was endearing, really, but he didn't get it did he? The boy wouldn't really be his pet, Tolius simply couldn't go through with something like that. They were just friends and they would pass and see each other again, but Sabien couldn't live with him. He already had too many roommates and he found he was far too attached to one already...

Pushing Acheron from his mind as quickly as he could, he turned his attention fully back to Sabien and gave him a little luck.

"Not until sunrise, usually. We can meet up again sometime, of course." It was probably best not to mention to Sabien what his occupation was, but he would if asked. He wasn't really ashamed like most were, he simply knew what a damper it could be on conversation.

...Especially when Vana was sitting nearby.


While Parvana didn't mind the pet name, she did blush notably and her wings fluttered absently in her embarrassment. She simply couldn't understand why anyone at all was putting such interest in her.

"I'm not really...specialized in things like that." Vana admitted, fidgeting adorably. "I couldn't tell you up from down when it came to flora or poisons or addictives or any of that." She smiled sweetly, managing to gain a little confidence as she spoke about something that was her leaning. "My forte is really in electricity though. It's quite fascinating...and so many uses too."

The waiter arrived shortly thereafter, serving the ordered meals to the small group before heading off once more. Vana politely murmured her thanks as she accepted her food, and quietly sampled her meal as she waited for Livide's response.


(Hey tigs-luff, could I pester you to bold your posts again? My blindness would appreciate it greatly on my tiny screen. XDDD [deathlove])

[Kiki]

Tigs 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!

[Tigeress]

Confusion registered on the fox's soft features before he nodded his head, his expression mimicking Anatolius' sad smile. So he liked him, but he just didn't like him that much. Oh, well... he had kind of been expecting it, to be honest with himself. He'd let himself enjoy the little fantasy idea for far too long, his mother would have laughed and spat in his face if she'd been there to see his pathetic hopes being shattered. Well, at least now he'd have company sometimes, that was better than being alone all the time at least.

"Okay, if you want, we don't have to." He would have flattened his ears in embarassment, but as it was he could feel the nubs twitching under the fur which had grown over. It really kind of hurt and he quickly tried to regain a neutrally dissapointed expression. Glumly he nuzzled the canine but moved back so as not to overcrowd him, though he perked visibly when the food arrived.

His stomach made a rather painfully loud rumble, and he blushed, waiting for any attention to be drawn away from him before taking a few slow, tentative bites. His mouth salivated, wanting more sustenance and Now, but he just didn't want to embarass himself any further by indulging to the degree that he might have, otherwise.

---

Livide could have purred at the adorable shyness the butterfly was once again demonstrating. But instead she grinned widely, setting her head on her hands and looking at the woman intently like a child smitten with a new puppy.

"Well, I couldn't either, so I suppose we should both be wary of them. A bit late for me, though." She laughed and winked, oblivious to the food that was being sat down awkwardly next to her, as she was leaning over the table and taking up a fair amount of room in front of her.

Eventually the touch of the hot plate made her jump and she began carelessly picking at the side salad, much more interested in spending time talking to Vana than anything else. She could always get the food to go, but she didn't want to be rude to the canine who had so graciously taken the desperate bouncing mess that was Sabien off her hands. Not that she didn't like him, but he was just... almost painful to be around, he was so pitiful.

"Electricity, mmm? You'll have to tell me all about it, I have no idea how it really works." Well, that was a lie, she had a vague idea, but anything to hear the excited chittering from the girl, which was truly music for the soul. In her opinion, of course.

[Vyn]

Tolius gave the fox a soft lick, concerned with the male's suddenly drooping expression. Oi! The poor kid! Was he really that neglected? Well yes, of course. That was always the answer when confronted with Aces.

"Of course I want to. We're friends now." He really hoped this boy didn't love in a box too, then he'd go off to work and feel guilty all day... Ah well. "When I head out, just stick around with Vana and Livide. Vana will be able to show you to my place, so you can stop by whenever you'd like."

When Sabien began to eat, Tolius dug in as well. He wasn't as hungry as his companion, but he was still quite hungry and the food was delightful. Not too fancy but far from trashy, just right in Tolius's opinion.


Vana smiled a little, watching how Livide seemed to forget her food was there at all. The woman was rather well off, wasn't she? That or she was simply that preoccupied. Vana blushed more and dipped her head to begin eating quietly. How was she to explain the mechanics of electricity in a way that was simple and explainable?

Before Vana knew it she was rambling on a great deal about electrons and charges and conductors which flowed into more about voltage and amps. Whether or not Livide grasped her hurried explanation of electricity was hard to tell, but Vana silenced herself roughly around the time when she started explaining the physics of air conducting lightning through plasma.

She flushed softly. "I'm sorry, I must have gone off on a bit of a tangent. I hope I could at least make a little sense of it all for you?" She smiled a little, wings fluttering with nerves, and took a few bites of food in an attempt to throw off her nagging embarrassment. "Really though, I'm not sure where to take the direction of my studies. My parents were both interested in medical studies and I have wanted to follow in their footsteps... only I don't intend to give up my curiosity in electricity..."

[Tigeress]

Sabien perked at the lick, hoping that it was genuine and not just pity at his sudden bout of dissapointment. Unfortunately for Tolius, Sabien did indeed live in a box, when he was lucky enough to find one. Normally he just camped out in the protection of trees of buildings with an overhang in case it rained. He hid a small stash of blankets very well, and so far they hadn't been stolen or thrown out. The latter would probably be more likely to happen, as the fox didn't actually have a washing machine or anything...

"Okay, that's good." He smiled then, digging back into his meal almost immediately after speaking. He couldn't help it, he was just so hungry! His stomach finally began to make some rather embarassing noises of joy and anger that it had taken him so long to get a decent meal inside him. Blushing, he couldn't stop himself from consuming the food in enthusiastic mouthfulls.

"Really? Whenever? You won't mind?" He asked, his eyes showing how baffled he was at the concept, and his lower face showing how good the meal was in his opinion. He would have to learn how to be more presentable when eating if he wanted to make a good impression on the handsome canine.


Livide still couldn't seem to keep concentrated on her food, despite the fact that Vana's explanation of electricity made her head spin to the point where concepts and words were blending together. Oh! Brains and beauty, what a girl! She almost swooned, and not just from the dizzying talk. When it seemed she was coming to some sort of conclusion however, the mouse took a big breath and let it out slowly.

"A bit, though I must admit, I think it would take your obvious passion to truly understand it the way you do. You're quite brilliant, Parvana." She smiled, cocking her head to the side where it rested on her hands. Hopefully the girl would do that cute blushing thing that she did whenever she was compliment on her obvious assets.

"Hmmm, that sounds a bit tricky. I suppose trying to keep a hand in both would be rather time consuming, wouldn't it? I'm sure a beautiful mind like yours would be able to find a way to combine them." She winked, not being able to help it, she'd been good for so long! But she'd hold back still, didn't want to overwhelm the little butterfly, she was obviously new to the whole being appreciated to the point of worship thing.

[Vyn]

Anatolius could've laughed at the way the canine scarfed if he wasn't so...pitiful about it. He liked boys with good appetites since he enjoyed cooking, but starving kids just made him feel bad. Tolius didn't have a great life, but he was better off than that.

"Of course I mean it, silly. I don't say things I don't mean."

With a charming little laugh, he slid in his seat a bit and bumped Sabien playfully.


Parvana shook her head gently and laughed softly, smiling warming even though her wings fluttered nervously once again. It really wasn't hard to make the shy butterfly blush or flutter, and Livide's hopes were repeatedly fulfilled in the wake of her compliments -- Vana simply didn't know how to react to them in the slightest.

"I'm not really all that brilliant, not compared to some of the other Corvies I've met..." Rocky was a delightfully sweet male and he'd been positively brilliant, Vana envied him. Especially considering she'd heard the talented Raccoon had completed his goals of achieving flight. Parvana really had to send her compliments to him someday... "I've put some thought into it -- and I've got a few ideas -- but I want to flesh them out more fully before I really try to put them to use."


Tolius slowly lifted his attention from his meal, his bright eyes falling upon Parvana and Livide at last. The mouse was being rather flirtatious and Vana looked...quite uncomfortable. Would it really be safe to leave that woman with Vana? He made a small noise in the back of his throat, but drew back to focus on Sabien once more. He'd just have to keep an eye on them while he could.

[Tigeress]

When he was bumped, Sabien gave a small blush in return. Luckily for the sake of both of their comfort levels, Sabien's lack of eating ment that while he was starving, he had a very small stomach to fill. If he was thinking straight, he would have had better self restraint than to eat as much as he had. This just meant he was going to be extra hungry tomorrow now that his stomach was getting used to more food of better quality than he was used to previously. Oh well.

"Good. I think that's a good way to be." Not that his opinion had ever mattered in the past, but he felt the canine should know he respected that quality. It certainly wasn't something that was normally directed at him. But really, the only person who had ever gotten to him was his mother. Everyoen else, well, he understood why they treated him like they did. Just like it wasn't his fault, it wasn't theirs either. His kind were pets, mindless things barely better than creatures found out in the forest. That's just the hand life dealt him and he was doing the best he could.

Living on the streets wasn't so bad, hell, if he knew how Anatolius made a living, he'd proabably not only not care, but perhaps ask if there was any way he could take part in it. Sabien really just wanted someone to want him, and a life like that would be much more satisfying than the one he was living now. Plus, it would give him money. But there was still that issue of him being an Ace... that was why he hadn't been able to get a job so far in the regular field. Perhaps it was better Tolius didn't say it out loud and get the poor fox interested.


The mouse found herself wondering if Vana had been in an abusive relationship in the past, what with how she seemed to find herself worthless. Or at least, that's how she acted in compared to how she should have been if she understood how outstandingly interesting and attractive she was. She was the kind of girl you'd take home to mother, and she knew her mother would be proud of her for finding a girl like Vana. She'd always been concerned that Livide would end up with one of her own, a shameless flirt who would never settle down with her, because she was so easy to ensnare. It was surprising and not that her mother accepted her firm choice of women. Her mother had tried to be different and choose a male partner and that hadn't ended very well at all.

"I think you are, you don't give yourself enough credit. There are always going to be people out there who are better than you, no matter who you are or how good you are. But that doesn't make you any less spectacularily intelligent." She laughed at this, her dangling ears glittering happily as a reflection of her good mood. She hadn't been this happy for a while now, being with someone had made her realize how lonely she'd been, locking herself away like a lost puppy. The city really wasn't so big and scary, and there were apparently people worth meeting.

"Not that I'd be much help but if I could assist you in any way, I'd love to fuel your passion." She left that as an open statement, not trying to openly flirt, but not being able to help wording things the way she did. She actually caught the canine's glance this time and raised an eye at him, was he planning on interrupting for some reason? Geeze, she didn't bite or anything... unless asked to.

[Vyn]

"I agree completely." Tolius smiled handsomely at the canine, pleased to get to hear even a small amount of his 'values'. He imagined Aces didn't get to throw their opinions out much. Some never even got the chance to form their own before their owners warped their heads.

With a wag of his tail, Tolius returned to cheerfully cleaning his plate of food. His appetite never failed him.


Despite having grown up in a somewhat stifling and far too sheltering environment, Vana had not only never been in an abusive relationship but had not been in yet to be in any sort of relationship at all. Her timidity came from her own shyness and lack of socialize for a great many of her younger years.

Nor did it help, of course, that she was a 'rare butterfly' and that people found the desire to poke and gawk whenever possible. Admiration was one thing...but gawking was another entirely.

For the time being, however, only Anatolius would be at all aware of this and it was for this reason alone that he watched his niece with such hawk-like concern.

Vana was flushing and fluttering again, plainly oblivious as to how she should respond to the flow of compliments and...er, the somewhat ...suggestive?... offer for assistance. "T-Thank you, Livide. Y-Your compliments a-are appreciated, but...well, I suppose it's the Corvistowne nature in me that compels to rival my peers in the forte of my choice." She smiled a little, attempting to pick at her food during her pauses. "Intelligent I may be, but not brilliant compared to my peers. It's not a lack of credit, but fact. You see?" Vana didn't doubt the strength and ability of her own mind, she simply knew her limits.

"O? Would you... W-Well, that would be nice, actually." The butterfly did her best to ignore the 'suggestive' quality of that comment and focused instead on the part she could cope with more easily. "A-Assistants are really rather hard to come by, what with the stigma against my region and all."

[Tigeress]

Sabien was pleased that the canine agreed with him, though it was obvious he would, he was a good person and the fox firmly beleived this. Nothing would shake that, once someone had his trust it was very everlasting. He pulled back suddenly from his food, exhaling and looking at it with a rather frustrated expression. He wouldn't eat this well for a long time, and as he'd never been in a restaurant before, he didn't know you could take the food with you. He figured if he didn't eat it now, they'd take it away from him.

"Eating so much is hard." He admitted with a blush, poking around at leftover portions of meat and cheese (two things he'd discovered today he really liked together!) and wiggling his tail in contentment. He caught the canine glancing over at the pair and tilted his head curiously; was Tolius not comfortable with the girls talking? Sabien had figured out early on that Livide liked girls, that was okay here, wasn't it? To like the same gender? He didn't know much about different regions beliefs and had just assumed the tendency to like the same gender that came from his homeland would be accepted here. Well, he didn't know about males, but females together were tolerated very much back home.


She tried to pull back a mental rope, the words 'whoa, girl!' coming to her mind when she noticed how jittery the lovely butterfly had become. This was hard, trying to be so casual around her. Flirting was in Livide's nature, and it always went over so well for her. Until now. She just wanted to recite poems and stroke the woman and tell her she was stunning, and then... well, you know. But none of that would do, the girl was just so unconvinced that she deserved it or something.

"I can understand that, actually. I've heard a fair amount about the competitive nature down there." She laughed lightly, aside from that she didn't know much else about them. They all seemed to try specializing in something new and different so as not to copy or be copied, but when that did happen, they strived to be better than anyone who had interest in their subject. It sounds like such a difficult and fierce life, Livide was a lover, not a fighter. She couldn't imagine the butterfly fighting tooth and nail to win the 'best electrical device' award so to speak, but the thought did bring a smirk to her face.

"I still think you're giving yourself less credit than you deserve. I'm sure there are many people who are intelligent but not so much as you, too. It's all in how you choose to look at it. But if feeling like you have to do better drives you to actually do better, than I suppose that's a positive thing?" She leaned her head on her hands more and lifted an eye curiously. She wanted to know more about the woman's feelings and opinions, and hopefully she'd spill if Livide kept indulging her in conversation.

"All you have to do is ask. I don't do much, admittedly. I work every now and again, but I don't need to. I came into a bit of an inheritance when my grandmother passed away." It was a little embarssing to admit, living off someone else's money and all, but Livide enjoyed the easy life, and why would she not indulge in it? It would be rude to ignore the money like it didn't exist, why not put it to good use?

"Stigma, ha. You should hear what's said about my region, and if you can accept me, I am more than willing to accept you for who you are."

[Vyn]

Tolius couldn't help but laugh softly at the boy's blushing comment. "Well you don't have to eat all of it, silly. We can get you a doggy bag to take home with you, so you can eat the rest later if you'd like?"

He gave Sabien a friendly lick on the cheek, smiling gently as his tail continued to thump. The mouse was reigning herself in, which was good, he didn't want to see her making his niece uncomfortable. Same sex pairings didn't bother him in the least... Pushy people of any gender, however, did.


Vana shifted a little in her seat, she didn't want to continue a small debate on her intelligence and how much she 'valued' herself. The butterfly thought well of herself -- it took a good mind to understand the theory and physics of Electricity -- and, though she didn't think she was as grand as some of her peers, she was still happy with where she was. It was simply hard to explain and so Vana settled with blushing delicate and tilting her gaze away in submission to Livide's insistence.

Who was Vana to tell her to change the way she thought?

"Ah... I'm, in the same position really." Her parents had been wealthy and their death had settled her a great inheritance that she simply didn't know what to do with. She wasn't exactly a 'big spender'. "Well, I've heard quite a few of the stigmas surrounding the Yarrows. I've never had trouble with one, personally, but I suppose that's because I'm female." She moved a hand to motion to Tolius, who cocked his head curiously at his niece. "Though I assume you don't mind the company of males since you don't appear to have any problems with them." Though the butterfly could definitely tell where the woman's interest laid.

People typically smothered Tolius in this sort of attention, not her.