Carry On [End]

[FlyingPanther]

It had been some time since Serafino's death. Years, decades, even, but still Viviane felt a hole that could never be filled with his passing. In the snake's mind (and maybe only in the snake's mind) they had been friends, and friends were hard to come by for someone such as Viviane. With Serafino's death, came the realization that he was...and probably always would be, a horribly lonely fellow. His only other friend outside the gang...well...he hadn't seen in years either. Even in Roxanne's group, there were to few and to chaotic to call stable friends. Anatolius was unavailable to speak to as well, not because they had already gone over the subject, but from what it sounded like, there was trouble with Acheron. He hoped that would resolve itself quickly, he was used to being sad...but seeing Anatolius sad was like watching the world come to an end.

He had been on his way back to Capital City. Viviane tried to make a point of stoping by the hearts court from time to time to take care of the Koi when he could, and just generally watch them. It was his only connection left to his friend, and he wasn't about to let him down even in death. That was just the kind of loyalty to be expected of Viviane. Loyalty to the bitter end and beyond.

However, he had managed to take a wrong turn, and he found himself wandering through the gloomy landscapes of Torquehelm. Oh boy...like his day could get any more depressing. He sighed a bit. Oh well, maybe he'd run across Acheron....he was suppose to be in these parts now...maybe he could convince him to come back...

[Thalron]

Among the gloomy scenery another creature was plodding its way along, its appearance very reminiscent of the terrain through which it moved. Even it's mood matched the rather morose feeling in the air. The only thing that really broke this monotonous feeling he had going for himself was the odd pattern of his steps which came in a consistent series of thumps and jingling noises. They only paused occasionally when he stopped to pop his neck.

Despite the fact he was sharing the same road with the strange serpent, he wasn't actually lost... Just taking the long way home, he was somewhat tired after another day of hardly being able to sell anything and thought a stroll around the edge of town might be interesting. That being said, he was definitely not expecting to run into anyone out here. Walking with his head stooped so low might also explain how he managed to miss the fact he was walking straight towards someone on the road.

It never even crossed his mind that there might be someone else out here, other than possibly ghosts. After all, this was one of the smaller roads into Torquehelm, and who would want to go there anyways? He would've left if... Well... He didn't really know why he stayed, but at least familiar gloom was better than unknown peril? Maybe some day he'd be able to go to the capital, he always heard stories of that place but was too afraid to venture there on his own.

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane had his mind wrapped around the idea of finding Acheron, and so as he wandered the vacant roads of the region, he watched for those that might be passing. The feminine snake slithered silently, going past many a Torquehelmite, but still holding out hope that he might see the antelope. It was several hours later, that as he wandered down a particularly small and insignificant path, he saw a figure in the distance. At first, he thought he might just have spotted the antelope, and his surged forward with powerful strokes of his tail, trying to get closer and identify the creature. They certainly had chains, he could hear them, and they were on his front legs. Not to mention he had some lovely brown horns protruding from it's skull. But in the end...it was not Acheron.

Viviane couldn't help but sigh a bit. That's what he got for keeping his hopes up. He watched the creature for a moment. It's gait was strange and stunted, something which Viviane (someone who could slither so effortlessly) couldn't wrap his mind around, "Hello....you wouldn't happen to know where I might find one by the name of Acheron?" he asked politely, his voice sounding horribly feminine, so that one could hardly be sure if it was a manly woman voice or a womanly man voice. Androgenous would be the best way to discribe Viviane, though he tried his hardest to be as feminine as possible. It was his appeal in the gang, so to speak...

[Thalron]

Startled... It didn't quiet capture the level of surprise that this torquelhelmite felt when a voice suddenly spoke up so near to him, he hadn't been paying that much attention to his sorroundings... But usually he atleast heard people walking up to him! Regardless of that though, he jumped. It was... not the most dignified maneuver as his rear-half had a great deal more spring than his front half which nearly caused him to fall over. His eyes wide for a moment as he thought he had just been confronted by a ghost, and was bound to be cursed or something else equally as terrible... And probably would have taken off had he not noticed the fact that this strange sinous shape was not infact a creature made up of smoke, that trailed into the ground but indeed a white and purple snake.

His fur vainly attempted to un-ruffle itself as he smiled in that awkward way that one might after just barely avoiding wetting themselves in surprise. It was a fitting smile. "Ah.. ah umm..." Acheron? he thought about it for a moment, but drew a complete blank... Not that it meant much, because after that initial fright it took a few seconds for him to remember his own name.. "No, sorry... Are you umm... sure they're here miss?"

Sure the snake had a odd voice, but with all those bright colours and silky fur he was pretty sure it was a girl... and it sounded feminine enough, heck it sounded more feminine than most of his customers. Although, this mistake was unlikely to help his already shattered dignity at this point.

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane was taken aback by how startled the other was by his presence. The snake certainly had not meant to frightening the creature, just simply get some information on a long lost friend. His tail reach out slightly, so as to help the other not trip over it's rather difficult looking bindings, he couldn't help looking at them a bit. Torquehelm bindings were always so interesting to the snake, though he was thankful that he didn't have to go through such a thing. Poor Acheron came to mind again...his own bindings had caused him so much pain...especially when ripped out......

He blushed a bit at his mistaken sex, but didn't correct the ferret. He felt more comfortible being called a female anyway, because...except for the penis...he really was much more of one then a male. It helped that his internal...and private organs were different from most cards, being a reptile. No one, except for maybe those who were experts in reptile anatomy, knew the difference when they were screwing him anyway. "I certainly hope so...I need to find him...for a friend of mine..." he added a simple explination along with his answer. He looked around at their surroundings, and sighed. He had the feeling he wasn't going to find him today....if ever.

"Well, I thank you anyway, stranger. But...oh...where are my manners...My name is Viviane." he almost held out his tail for the other to shake...but quickly realized that was not....an option. Well...that's a bit awkward. "Your bindings....do they not bother you often?" his question was innocent enough, his brows furrowed slightly as he looked from the bindings up to the creature's face.

[Thalron]

Whilst the serpent was so thoroughly intrigued by the bindings which held his forelegs locked together so tightly, the torquehelm was trying very hard not to stare at the flowing white form of the snake. He had only ever seen someone so bright in passing, and it was rather amazing up close... He wished there was more brightness around here sometimes, but there was not much he could do about it really.

He thought about asking why someone would come here, but got the feeling it really wasn't much of his business. And it just wouldn't be polite to do so... Even if he really wanted to know why on earth anyone would come here. "Oh! umm.. You're welcome... and uh, I'm Perth. Perth Shobach." he gave her a little bow, proving that he could atleast bend his legs if not seperate them, although it did also show that the chains were rather tight.

The question seemed almost to startle him a little bit again, and he stood a bit more upright. "Umm... I guess they can be inconvenient... Most of the time... But uh, it could be worse?" He offered that last bit mostly as a means to reassure himself. His face flashing a small somewhat meek smile to Vivian. Huh. That was a odd name for a girl.

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane didn't notice the ferret's staring, but if he had, he probably would have thought it was cute. He was used to the different colors of the world, living in Captial City the majority of his life. He saw many a bright colored people wandering the streets, and got plenty bright colored clients. Indeed, more often then not he found himself admiring the colorations of the Corvistownians, Torquehelmites, and other dark colored regions (save maybe Golfam and Lowlands...which usually meant trouble was coming...least for him). He had been intrigued by Acheron and his own bindings. He could say he was a fan of the individuals, despite never visiting their realm. He felt like he could empathize with them. Viviane had his own bindings - to his profession and his feminine upbringing. "It's a pleasure to meet you Perth..." and it was true, he couldn't help his own curiousity in those of the region.

At his answer, Viviane nodded, "Unfortunately....It can always....always be worse." he said sadly and with a frown. He thought of Acheron, who already had problems walking with his bindings, having one so viciously ripped out. It was such an angry scar...one which he would carry for the rest of his life. But more then that...he couldn't help feeling as if he had another binding....his inability to see what was so obviously in front of him. Most Torquehelms, he felt had this binding. This one however, didn't seem to. He had a bit of optimism in him.

[Thalron]

Perth smiled a bit sheepishly as he managed to curb his staring to a more mild amazement at the others complexion and form. He was so tempted to try touching some of that fur, but he managed to resist that urge... It just wasn't proper. Atleast there was nothing keeping him from looking at it. "Umm... It's nice to meet you too." Something still nagged him on the name, but he ignored it. After all, if he made such a big mistake Vivian would've definitely corrected him.

Those comments on it always getting worse rekindled his urge to ask why she was really after this 'acheron' person. But he continued to abstain of the subject and instead gave her a small smile. "So umm... Where're you from? I've never seen someone so bright around here." He was a little bit mumbly when asking, partially because he wasn't sure what to be talking about... But she seemed a little lonely or sad, and it was nice to talk to someone who wasn't overtly depressed... She also wasn't blindfolded or otherwise restrained in some way. Not physically anyways.... Every moment he started wondering about new things, but wisely restrained himself from speaking all of them. He was just so curious about someone so strange looking, and she undoubtedly from some place much different than this place. Nothing ever stayed so colourful and bright here.

[FlyingPanther]

At Perth's question Viviane couldn't help but cock his head a bit. He wasn't used to people not recognizing his region. Most of his clients picked him simply because of his region, or requested a companion of his region and recieved him. The desire for Lakelanders was most certainly there. The fact that he didn't know...must mean that he had never really been outside of Torquehelm. Viviane would have blinked if he had eyelids. He never had only know his own region. It helped that Selkie Lakes were a nice vacationing spot, but still...it seemed strange to him. "I actually come from the Selkie Lakes, though a lot of people think I'm a mixed regioner...because I've got purple...It's rare in Lakelanders...but it does happen." he blushed a bit.

"I don't mean to be rude...but I get the feeling you don't travel often..." he couldn't help having the statement be rude, but his features showed he didn't mean anything by it. Indeed, he found it wrong that the ferret didn't seem to have any idea of what region he was...and was even staring at him with this look....interest. He couldn't help but feel like he had to do something about that..."But...I'm on my way to the Capital....and I could use a traveling companion...if you wanted to come with me?" he asked with an encouraging smile. It was totally untrue, he had made the trip from the captial to the hearts palace on his own several times....but well....the poor thing seemed so curious...and this place...it did things to the mind. Even Viviane...who was usually so jolly, was feeling more under the weather then he had felt in a long time.

[Thalron]

Perth tilted his head a little bit as well, but immeddiatly regretted that movement as a loud pop sounded in his neck... He tilted it the other way, arching it back to crack it more fully. He really wished he could rub his neck or something. He didn't let that moment of discomfort show for very long though, and soon smiled a little nervously again.

"Selkie lakes..? That's umm... Far away. I like your purple, I have some too." He let an awkward pause break his speech for a little bit before nodding. It was true that he had not travelled much, infact he'd never left Torquehelm, although he had been practically border to border of this region at some point. He wasn't too embarrassed by that fact, and even if he was the blush wasn't bright enough to show through his black-furred cheeks.

He glanced up, then down the road, as if checking to see if anyone else was watching before his gaze returned to the odd serpentine figure ahead of him. "The Capital? You're umm... Very off track... I guess I could come along, I'd need to stop by my house and leave a note though." He sort of shuffled in place to reset his balance, then took a hop or two forward before realizing he should probably explain a little. "Umm... So someone can take over the store while I'm gone... My house is on the way." Now he was visibly blushing, it had spread far enough that the purple edges of his face were growing a bit brighter..

He sighed inwardly, he really did have a habit of sticking his foot in his mouth sometimes... Maybe a trip would be good for him.