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Post by Lucca on Feb 28, 2010 20:54:20 GMT -5
A small, hunched figure in a blue cloak rushed through the dirty streets and dark alleys, running as though all the demons of hell were after her. Most of her lithe form was hidden, but her rather large feet could sometimes be seen as she ran. Flashes of grey, and just the hint of glinting blue eyes...and, for those with sharp noses, the smell of dried blood. Mid Range. She stopped for a moment, quivering, sitting up on her hind legs, long whiskers twitching in nervousness as she scanned the ally around her. It had been near here...near this very spot where she'd met that Card...the one who had given her a gift. A gift that cursed her life from that moment forward. Eyes dull and glinting beneath that hood, her paws folded, going to rub absently at the white cuffs that covered her forearms. They seemed to be made of bone, and no matter what she had tried, they hadn't come off. That had been bad enough, but when the nightmares started, enough to wake her in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, screaming so bad she worried it would wake half the Warren, or else sobbing and bleeding even in her sleep from a deep despair she couldn't explain. So, in desperation, the little Rabbit had come back to the scene of the crime, so to speak...to find the one who had done this to her, and to beg him to somehow reverse it. Her long ears, pressed flat against her head by the hood, twitched as she stood there, motionless, waiting...
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 28, 2010 23:17:59 GMT -5
Moving to the Outer Bazaar was an obvious next step for Rasha. It had expanded even further than the city proper in his absence, the sprawling urban decay felt most keenly here. People spent their lives working harder and for less, with shabby surroundings or outright squalor just past their doorstep. Often inside as well. An interesting place. Gold eyes surveyed his surroundings as he strolled the streets and alleys with comfort. The illusion of a bound Four of Diamonds gave him reason to seem familiar with these paths, a lower-ranked Card. His eyes wouldn't seem gold to anyone observing him, not with the ability in effect. There would be no gold on him. Dusk had fallen a short while ago, and now the sky approached a true night. What he could see of it through the buildings, at any rate. The alleys obscured most of the night sky from view. That was alright. He had seen it before. The streets, the buildings, and their denizens were of far more interest to him. He didn't notice the small, still form right away, eyes for a spot of graffiti on a wall opposite from her. He took a moment to move closer and investigate, trying to make out the faded lettering in low light.
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Post by Lucca on Feb 28, 2010 23:27:58 GMT -5
For a long moment...or a long collection of moments, it was hard for the little creature to tell...there was nothing. Just the sound of the wind, of distant shouts and laughter from other streets, and the darkness pressing in on her from all sides, making her feel as if she should hold her breath. And then...movement. She tensed, going still as a statue, even her whiskers ceasing their constant twitching. He was...black. The whisper of feathers...the clanking of chains...no cloak covered his form this time, but Myth knew.
It had to be him.
Fear gripped her small form, an innate, instinctual reaction to seeing someone or something that led to the world being suddenly changed from your safe little box. But with a deep breath, and a fierce glint in those blue eyes, the little Rabbit suddenly bounded forward, a blur of motion where before there was none.
She moved quickly in front of the other being, and looked up at him boldly, remembering all her restless nights. "Excuse me, Sir," her voice, while fairly meek, was stronger than it would normally be, and she nearly faltered at how loud it was in the quiet alley. But she couldn't turn back now. "We've met before." It wasn't a question. She sounded very sure. "You gave me this curse." One paw extended out from under the cloak, showing the white bone cuffs that fit so closely on her arm that no amount of trying would ever get them off.
She'd drawn blood in trying.
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Post by The Jenn on Feb 28, 2010 23:52:51 GMT -5
A sudden motion in his peripheral vision drew Rasha's attention from the wall. He hesitated in drawing back when the small form stopped in front of him, meeting her brightly colored gaze with dark eyes, black with the illusion. Purple nares quivered as he took in her words and, curious, he looked down at what she held out for his inspection.
Very small, her body. And the wrists were delicate but muscled on distinct paws. What was a Rabbit doing in the confusing confines of the city? Their kind rarely made an 'end' in this place during his time. He hadn't noted a single one since his return, which had admittedly been most recent.
And her words didn't make much sense. But then, he knew almost nothing of 'Dyspareunia' beyond the fact that the name had once belonged to a Card. He knew the name, knew the spell... and knew little else about this shard of a soul he had collected. Perhaps he literally assumed the form of another Torquehelm who looked almost identical to him? How strange would that be. And how unfortunate for the creature in front of him, as he had no solution to her apparent problem.
He spoke aloud in the solitude of the alley, his voice quiet and wispy. "I am sorry, but we have never met. You are still alive. Perhaps you are an old soul, but I don't believe that to be the case. I am unfamiliar with your ornament."
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Post by Lucca on Mar 1, 2010 10:56:59 GMT -5
Despite her surety, the brave face she put on, the conviction that this -was- the Card who sold her the item wavered slightly, and she drew her paw back hastily, cowering slightly at the voice. But it was the words that it spoke that truly made her eyes widen.
"But...but but it was you...it had to be..." she sounded hesitant now, though, and her gaze darted nervously...to the ground, and then back to him and his dark, glittering eyes. "Wh-what do you mean...'still alive'? Do you generally associate with...with ghosts or..." She licked her lips nervously, afraid...though perhaps less so than she would have been before putting on the cuffs. Compared to her nightmares, this was almost...normal. She wasn't sure she believed in ghosts, but she had no idea what else the strange being could mean. Unless...
"You're not going to k-kill me, are you?" she eyed him warily, though she herself was surprised at the minimal burst of fear brought on by the thought. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep lately, as the dark circles under her eyes could attest to...or perhaps it was because the little Rabbit had a funny feeling that wasn't the case. She didn't think this Card was going to take her life. She couldn't have given a reason for this hunch, but it was there, as surely as the heavy weight on her forelegs.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 1, 2010 14:21:37 GMT -5
"I associate with everyone," Rasha responded with a shrug of his thin shoulders. "And no, I am not going to kill you. I do not kill. Life is a precious thing. I would far sooner save a life than end one. You have little to fear from me."
So very anxious. He supposed it made sense for a Rabbit in a Card city in the dead of night to be nervous and fearful. She appeared to be young, what he could see and hear of her. A young girl had much to fear in these alleys in the dead of night.
"I am sorry that my appearance misled you as to my identity. I have not seen anyone looking similar to myself in some time. If you wish to exit the city unharmed, however, I would be willing to escort you. These streets are far from safe. If you have a warren to return to, it would be far safer to begin your journey soon."
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Post by Lucca on Mar 1, 2010 14:33:30 GMT -5
The little Rabbit frowned up at him. What an odd way of talking this Card had. Even odder than the few other Cards she'd spoken to in her brief excursions into their world. He associated with everyone? What was that supposed to mean? But his assurances -did- match with what she'd felt about him, so she merely nodded, not wanting to press that point. That he wasn't the one she'd been seeking was another fact she was sadly now convinced of. And she had to admit to herself, with a twinge of shame that would once have been enough to set her bleeding until she learned better control, that a lot of Cards looked alike to her. It was just so strange to see all the variations that it sometimes blurred...
She shook her head, staring at the dirty stone of the alley at her feet. "It's okay...it was my fault..." she said softly, as all the fight seemed to vanish out of her, leaving a meek little girl in its place. His concern was...touching, in a way, but she couldn't find herself too grateful. She was suppose to be beyond relying on others...she was supposed to be useful! Here she was, on the cusp of adulthood, and...still getting into trouble and needing to be -protected- all the time. What was the life of one Leveret worth? Not much, that she knew, despite what this stranger might claim.
"It's okay..." she said again, head drooping, concealing those bright eyes from sight. "I can find my way back. I..." Then, something he said clicked, and she stiffened, going rigid. Her head darted back up to give him a petrified stare. How did he know? How did he know about Warrens? How could he tell what she was?
"How?" was all she could get out, barely above a whisper.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 1, 2010 14:51:14 GMT -5
Her disappointment was unfortunate, if inevitable. Rasha was not a mage. He couldn't discern the nature of her gauntlets, or whatever unfortunate magical side-effects they may have had on the girl.
The more he watched her droop, the more convinced he was that she did not belong in this city. What foolhardy Jack had sent her here instead of some small, local market for supplies, someplace she was less likely to find herself in danger from the inhabitants of a city? Or had she come here of her own volition? From what she said, she seemed to belong to a warren.
But his candor shocked her. The blue eyes returned, wider and more fearful than before. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, though it may have done little but upset her nerves further. He often dealt with distraught souls. They were just... rarely in any danger. The time for that had passed.
"I'm an odd sort. Don't worry about the 'how' or the 'what' or the 'why'. I hold no animosity towards your kind. I will help you find safe passage out of the city, or I won't, as you'd prefer."
He only had about an hour left on his bound Torquehelm appearance, didn't he... hmm.
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Post by Lucca on Mar 1, 2010 15:18:47 GMT -5
Warily, Mythiril eyed the Avian, wanting to distrust what he said, wanting to listen to the growing sense of -wrong- she felt about this encounter...but somehow she couldn't. Something in her compelled her to trust this odd figure completely. And now that she was slightly calmer, both the burning desire to make the one responsible for her curse right the wrong and the fear of being caught and found out for what she was fading slightly, she found he still had some odd sense about him. Something that almost made her want to say she'd seen him before? But no, that was impossible...she'd met so few Cards...and if he wasn't -him-...
But she couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity.
Her ears drooped as she considered his offer. "I...I guess, if you think that's necessary..." With a small whimper, and knowing she'd have to bleed herself for this indiscretion later, Myth launched herself suddenly at his legs, pawing at them fervently. Not with intent to harm, just...needing the contact. To assure her he was real. "Please Sir...please, you must know something about magic...it's unnatural, a Leveret should not have such powers..." She spoke her mind without fear since he knew her secret. "The nightmares...I can barely sleep anymore...something is wrong and I just want to fix it! Please..." She blinked back shameful tears, knowing that wouldn't help her to convince this Card...
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 1, 2010 21:33:49 GMT -5
"I believe that it would be to your benefit if I-" Rasha began, but was suddenly halted by a surprising and entirely unexpected lunge towards his legs. Both of his wings spread in mild alarm, the oversized appendages whacking against the brick sides of the alley, but they slowly drew closer once he realized that she wasn't attempting to injure him out of some misguided sense of threat.
He stared down at her, wondering what he could say. What he should say.
"I know something of magic," he agreed after a moment. His wings drew fully closed before one of them half spread again to cover the body in front of him from any prying eyes. Her sudden motion had placed her disguise in mild peril. "Probably not enough to help you, I'm afraid. I deal with a different sort of magic. But I will tell you that you are not the first Leveret I've encountered with a power. Circumstances have lead others to possess them as well. Your own kind would best help you deal with problems of this nature. From what I have seen, Cards may wish you more harm than help. You should ask the Leveret elders, the free ones who sell the Jacks their baubles. Some of them have been very knowledgeable of magic in the past."
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