A Rose By Any Other Name [End]

[Momo]

Ursula paused in front of a tiny corner store, her eyes entranced by a flowing blue and silver fabric displayed in the bay window. That was a lovely silk scarf, and it would contrast nicely against her pink and yellow fur. With a greedy glint to her eyes, she glanced at the price hidden discretely at the base of the window.

…Well, it wasn’t that beautiful. In fact, it looked like it had a little tear. How disappointing, and hardly worth her money.

The Yarrow sighed and walked deeper into the bazaar and immediately found herself surrounded by a bustling crowd and vendors selling everything from Aces –not nice purebreds, she noticed, just mutts – to steaming ramen utterly inappropriate for such warm weather. Someone tried to wrap a beaded trinket around her neck, but she shooed the obnoxious raccoon away. As much as she liked baubles, they had to be relatively well made.

Growing bored, she contented herself with reading the suit and rank of the Cards she trotted by. There was a Three of Diamonds, a Nine of Clubs, and a biped whose rank she couldn’t read, as clothing obstructed it. She knew the red Six of Hearts lay static on her chest, as it had ever since she was born. Her mother had worn the same mark throughout her life, and Ursula imagined she would do the same. It was a funny sort of heirloom.

Laughing, the fox slyly plucked a white rose from a banquet and held it gingerly in her mouth, breathing in its scent. The best things in this world could be had for free.

[Vyn]

Neil loved trips to the market.

Once upon a time the streets that had lined the outer edges of the bazaar had been his home, but that wasn't what he loved about the place. What he did love was his new found view of it. The comfort of a kind family and a little bit of encouragement, not to mention a job, made a world of difference in everything.

He could actually buy things now, or enjoy the atmosphere in a coffee shop without being shunned.

And yet, today, he found himself in a quieter area of the market doing absolutely none of those things. When he'd lived on the streets he'd been fond of one of the little performance squares in the market. During the day it was empty, but at night it was filled with musicians or oddities that got to show their skill (or lack thereof) to the world. Neil was alone today, his brand-new flute in hand. Over the years he'd made a few wooden flutes but they'd never really been this sort of quality, he was almost a little afraid he wouldn't be able to play the real deal.

Swallowing his nerves, he put the instrument to his lips and began to play softly. The bipedal fox's eyes would slowly fall shut as he played, losing himself in the music. He could definitely play this new instrument, anyone who bothered to listen would know that in an instant.

[Momo]

“I think white is my favorite color for roses,” Ursula murmured thoughtfully to herself, letting the flower drop onto the ground, starkly beautiful against the dirty cobblestones. It was a much better hue than yellow, at any rate, and a little less cliché than red. One of her exes had given her an amazing bouquet of blue roses once, but apparently florists could only sell those by dipping white roses in a vat of ink. It always struck her as a lot of work for a few dozen roses, lovely as they were.

She snaked her way through the swelling crowd of people, too aware of the fact she didn’t know anyone in the area and didn’t even have money to spend. She did, however, have practically an endless amount of time to kill, and wandered aimlessly, letting herself get lost in the maze of urbanization. It didn’t take long for her to stumble outside the busiest section of the bazaar and into a much quieter and less populated corner obviously meant for musicians.

…And there was one now. She heard the woman before she saw her, playing the flute with talent that was rare and very much appreciated. Ursula’s smile widened as she approached, this was the second Villa, Yarrow mix she had met in a very short amount of time. It was a good color scheme, and it was always a pleasant surprise to meet another Yarrow outside the region.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she began teasingly. “But you play very well, and it's a lovely instrument,” the fox added genially. Too often she was objected to players who tried incredibly hard, but like herself just didn’t have the innate skill; that was always a really uncomfortable position.

[Vyn]

O! Neil nearly jumped when another voice disrupted his playing and the lithe fox's tail puffed up massively before his fur smoothed out once more and he was left blushing bashfully and hugging his tail close.

Oh dear, another Yarrow... and he'd probably gone and made a fool of himself after her very kind compliment.

"T-Thank you, Thank you very much... I didn't know anyone was listening..." He gently ran his fingers through his hair, clutching his flute in his other hand before gently extending it for better view. "You like it? I just got it made, it's custom." It was a beautiful silver thing with ruby-red accents, not at all too flashy but subtle and elegant. In fact, it was much like the earring he wore.

Despite his nerves, Neil was happy. He liked having an audience and she'd already said she'd liked what little she had heard so then he obviously played this new flute just as well as his others.

[Momo]

Ursula stopped short at a distance, embarrassed. She shouldn’t have bothered the other canine, she usually knew better than to barge in on a musician as she was practicing. So shoot her, she was a sucker for other Yarrows.

Well, luckily it looked like the other woman was just as off-kilter as she felt. “Not at all, I shouldn’t have disturbed you – I can’t help it, I love listening to people who can actually play an instrument.” She explained, laughing at herself. “I’m not one of those gifted individuals.” Maybe that was why she enjoyed watching the musically talented so much.

She padded lightly over to get a better look. “It’s gorgeous,” she answered earnestly, tail swaying behind her. “The red is absolutely lovely, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.” God, she really needed to get around to visiting Villa and seeing the beautifully crafted instruments and other tools the region was renowned for.

“I’m Ursula, by the way.” She smiled coyly at the Diamond. “How long have you been playing? You sound like you began practicing from birth.” Ursula wouldn’t be surprised, the woman was half-Villa after all.

[Vyn]

Neil managed to quickly smooth his fur down and ease up his nerves a little, though he kept his tail close nevertheless. He needed to hide... certain... things about himself so that he wouldn't make a scene too early on. She seemed to enjoy his music too...

"I don't mind, I really like having an audience." He smiled sweetly at her confession. "I'm sure you have many other wonderful things about you, though, even if you don't think you can play." He was also sure that, were she to put her heart into it, she could play something as well. Everything took dedication, and she seemed like a smart girl.

And the compliments came so rapidly that he could barely think of a response that suited her kindness. "O, thank you! It was a gift... I don't think I've ever seen anything as lovely myself." He laughed a little, shy and sweet as he wondered over his beautiful flute. He would never be able to stop thanking Theo for all that he'd done.

Introductions? So soon? They were possibly among the one thing he despised most in the world, if only because they always left him feeling so terribly awkward in the end. Very few people guessed his gender from the beginning and it left even non-Yarrows a little perplexed in the end.

"It's a pleasure, Ursula... I'm Neil." Hoping that maybe his name would go unnoticed, Neil kept talking. "I haven't been playing since birth but I know I was pretty young," he smiled, his expression growing more and more nervous with every word he spoke.

[Momo]

Aw, poor nervous thing! Ursula had never thought of herself as particularly intimidating, she was a mere Six, and hardly a large, imposing creature. Then again, what did she know? Maybe she was coming on a little too strong? The fox was just too bored to bother with the usual pleasantries.

Ursula, always the lady, snorted. “Truth be told, I still have to figure out what I’m good at, although I am able to bend backwards and touch the ground with my front paws,” she said, laughing. An ever-so-useful talent, for sure. “I’m sure I’ll be able to apply that to my everyday routine very soon,” the Yarrow added with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

“What an amazing gift,” she exclaimed, her curiosity getting the better of her once again. Who could’ve given her something so beautiful? Definitely someone with money to spend…maybe a wealthy patron?

Honestly, she could be such a gossiper sometimes. “See, I’d want to start playing the flute just so I could have something so impressive,” she joked without an inch of shame.

“Neil?” She questioned, blinking her sly pink eyes. Not a male, surely. “Is that short for Cornelia, by any chance?” She asked, an icy smile playing around her muzzle. If the answer was no…well, this conversation was over. Not that Ursula actually believed this could be a male from Yarrow; those were all killed or locked away in a basement. The fox was more fond of the former; they couldn’t bite back if they were buried six feet under.

[Vyn]

Regardless of how Neil tried to be kind and friendly and calm, his nerves were impossible to hide and, eventually, there was no way to avoid the dreadful moment when the truth came out.

Names. They were such simple things, things that so many people just made up or tossed about carelessly, but Neil's meant so much more than that. It was a gift almost more precious than his new flute and, in the miserable end, he'd stick to it even as the conversation took a dive for the very worst.

And there it was.

Neil recognized it in an instant, the icy smile and the slitted pink eyes. She wanted to skin him alive and she was still trying to pretend he hadn't admitted what he had. The canine's entire posture drooped and she'd notice a fine tremble sliding up his spine.

"N-No... C-Cornelius..." He should have lied, he knew he should have lied. She was going to hate him, or hurt him... It had happened before when Yarrow ladies found out about his gender. But he just couldn't when Theofilus had been so nice as to give him a name, a proud name too. "H-His Majesty, Theofilus, named me... I couldn't insult him by lying about it... I... I'm sorry, i-if I'm not what you thought I was."

He just really hoped she would hurt him. He was part Villa right, she would attack him just for being part Yarrow Male? That was the only consolation he'd ever had and, probably, the only reason he'd gotten so far in life thanks to his Villa Mom sending him away at such a young age..

[Momo]

No. This was a mistake. This was not happening. It wasn’t. Couldn’t be. She had just misheard the pretty Villa and Yarrow canine.

Right?

Yes, of course. It just wasn’t possible that she had been talking to a male this whole time! No. The Heart refused to belief it; not after she had admired the other so much – that wasn’t how things worked. Ursula wasn’t made a fool of like that, and she didn’t – she couldn’t…oh, she was starting to feel sick.

But it was true. He was Cornelius, and not the so much more pleasant Cornelia. Ursula balked violently, a horrible sound emerging from her mouth, something caught between a howl and a snarl. This couldn’t be happening…The female blinked hard, attempting to jar herself from this horrible dream, but the nightmare remained sitting nervously in front of her.

She felt like she was eleven again. The sliver of rational thought left to her argued that she was acting like an idiot and a real bitch, but at the moment she didn’t give a damn. Usually the memories of that night were well behaved and hid in the darkest corner of her mind, but now she was remembering everything.

Oh God, all that blood.

“I don’t give a shit who named you!” Ursula screamed, growing hysterical. Why couldn’t she collect herself? What was wrong with her? “You shouldn’t exist!” She yelled this so earnestly it was obvious she believed it wholeheartedly. Why was he allowed to be saved?

All she wanted to do was attack him, this aberration becoming so afraid of her. She took a step forward, as if to bite his purple-furred arm, but faltered and her body buckled. “…You should be dead.” The fox whispered this so softly it was almost to herself.

ooc: I apologize for the language. <3

[Vyn]

The fox flinched the moment that rough, snarling howl escaped Ursula.

Oh hell, he was in trouble.

Instantly the boy was fumbling his flute back into it's case, nervously stuffing it back into his bag. He had gotten hurt a lot when he'd been living on the streets. Your body healed over time but your precious little belongings didn't always fair so well.

He arched back and away from the screaming, hysterical female. "I... I'm sorry, p-please... I'll go away." These words were always terrifyingly familiar, like an old dream he couldn't quite remember. He never dug to find out why, he just assumed it was all the other Yarrow women who had bared their fangs at him and told him what a blasphemy he was. "I'm so sorry..."

Neil was trapped in his little wooden bench with the terrifying woman looming before him. If he moved to slip around her he was certain he would only wind up wounded, but if he stayed?

Frantic eyes searched around, hopeful that someone -- anyone -- might witness the spectacle and perhaps put a stop to it.