|
|
Post by Admin Ceras on Jul 14, 2012 23:02:44 GMT -5
“Did you hear? There was poison in the Madam’s drawers! Supposedly the youngest daughter found-don’t know if she’s brought it to her father though, poor dear.”
“My goodness! I always knew there was something off about the Lady. Who do you suppose she wishes to poison? You don’t think….”
Listening intently to the two gossiping servants as they idly dusted the various finery in the main foyer of the Whitestag House, Gold fought the urge to run forward and shut them up for good. Such shameless gossiping-it was not befitting of one such of Whitestag and though he was no new-ear to the rumors themselves, the fact that the servants, who were supposed to be so loyal to the house itself, were gossiping where any idle ear could hear was infuriating.
The hybrid’s nails dug into the tender skin of his palms, his hands curled into tight fists as he kept his back to the wall. The youth’s orange eyes were poisonously bright, and his lips pressed into a thin white line.
Gossip of such sorts, without any care to who heard it was a danger to Whitestag, and thus, a danger to Master Nicholas.
That itself, was enough to get Gold’s heart thudding, bthough he made no move to strike forward and take the two harlots down where they stood. No, that would embitter the House to the common people-he understood that much, no matter how it made him ache inside to let such idiocy slide.
Besides…if he killed one of the servants, Master Nicholas might hear. And, Gold thought with a wince, that was something he’d rather avoid. Master Nicholas…Master Nicholas shouldn’t know of such things-not of death and treachery. Of course, Gold was aware that Master Nicholas did indeed know of such things. He was a noble after all..but…but still. He’d rather not pollute Master Nicholas more than necessary.
Perhaps then, it was better he step away. Pulling away from the wall with a hiss of breath that was enough to stop the two gossiping servants in their tracks, Gold stepped by them with only a subtle glare to show his ire. From the audible gulp that emanated from the direction of the two women, they had caught the gesture.
Lips quirking upwards just the slightest, Gold inclined his head slightly in greeting before he continued on his way. Yes, it was best he get away lest he do something he might regret.
Stepping out of the foyer and into the entrance hall, Gold made his way towards the large granite doors that led in to Whitestag manor, or in his case, out. Hardly giving the guard stationed next to the entrance more than a fleeting look, Gold pushed open the heavy door, and within moments, was out in the sunlight.
The air outside was fresh and as he flicked out his tongue to taste it, he could catch the various scents running about. The gardener was to the left working on the morning glories, a random child playing near the central fountain and a pet hybrid chasing what tasted like to be a squirrel.
Cataloging the sensations in barely the breadth of a second, Gold paused before he turned to the right-the least direction area according his morning ‘taste-test’, and thus, the easiest to get through without being harassed by some noble to high and mighty to realize the seal around his neck.
Uncurling the fingers of one hand from their fisted position, Gold touched the collar around his neck, caressing the dangling jewel hanging center from it with the slightest hint of a smile. Though most tended to pale when they realized just whose[/b[ pet he was, the initial blustering got more than a bit annoying.
And well, Gold liked his privacy every now and then.
Making his way down the cobbled path, Gold’s featured brightened as he caught sight of the gleaming trellises and the vines hanging from them. The Hanging Garden-what better place to unwind?
Opening the iron gate-painted white of course per Whitestag standards-Gold slid inside, paying no mind to the few already there. Human, hybrid, even the metallic-taste of metal-man. The gardens after all, were a common enough spot to meet up.
Luckily enough for him though, few preferred to go to the spot free of shade, where the sun was almost blindingly bright with no hanging vines to filter it. Eyes shining with delight as the stress lines on his forehead began to fade, Gold made his way towards the marble bench sitting right dab in the middle of a pile of streaming sunlight. Once there, he didn’t waste any time.
Splaying himself out on the marble bench with little care to the fact that it rumpled his meticulously tailored clothes and that it left a bit of mud on the white lace surrounding the collar of his shirt, Gold let out a happy sigh.
Yes-perhaps it had been a good idea to leave the manor after all.
Soaking in the sunlight was much more enjoyable than getting rid of servants he wasn’t supposed to kill. Besides, Gold thought with an oblivious hiss to the few random strangers who actually decided to stare at him; he could always kill them later.
For now though it was time to bask. And that is just what Gold intended to do. |
|
Eun Lee
New Member
[M:0]
The art of pleasing is the art of deception.
Posts: 10
|
Post by Eun Lee on Jul 17, 2012 1:05:41 GMT -5
Central Sector;
Humans.
Walking in packs alongside one another, it was in their very nature to build relations through communication and contact.
A human could not (or barely) exist without the support of their peers - ‘society’ as some seemed to refer to it- otherwise he would find himself without allies in a world where survival is either based on sheer cunning or just mass numbers. Normally whether contact is denied or not in the face of many, a human may find themselves to speak more freely around those who they see as reliable, trustworthy or stronger. To put it bluntly and shortly, people they’ve developed relationships with over time. In this way a connection is formed, and their goal and reason to socialize is completed.
For this reason, many humans attempt to follow patterns and routines done by everyone else. They desire to fit in so they allow themselves to slip into a long life of repetition, though doing so in the wild would probably be the very end of them if spotted. Humans often attempt to ‘go with the flow’ and blend in with the crowd, for if they are seen as lacking in any aspect, then it is quite probable that they will end up being picked out and ostracized by their fellow companions. They seek identity, but they also seek safety and comfort; they want to be seen, but not stared at or judged.
Humans can be seen as a violent, blood-thirty bunch, often picking out those at their weakest state and striking them down to their level. For if they cannot be on top, then surely nobody else can be either. Betrayal in not above them.
Though two may at one point find in one another the greatest of friends, it is just as easy for the wind to come and blow them apart as it was for them to utter their first “hello’s.
A human may find the need to be acknowledged very great, to the point that it may run their life completely if they allow it to; for as well as being a way of satisfying one’s self, it also satisfies the ego. When looked up by people seen as lower or inferior, it may give a single man or woman the impression that he dominates and rules, that he is superior to those that stand beneath him.
Acknowledgment from society is, as such, a very important thing as well in the lives of the human race. Though, really, being seen as competent is probably something all races desire.
As he sat comfily atop a nearby roof, a yawn escaped the feral’s throat. Heads bobbed up and down as the hollow echo of trodding-both paced quickly and slowly- resounded through the air; accompanied by that was the sound of chattering and talking, both of voices whispered and words practically yelled, which created a frantic, jumbled atmosphere with the impression of toil and work for the people below. Looks could be deceiving though, the fox hybrid knew, and many of the folks were just trying to look like they had something to do. Many were just lounging about in reality and trying to appear dignified and first-class, hoping that their ‘coincidentally’ loud voices would reach the ears of others and generate a new wave of rumours in their favour.
At least, that is how the young man interpreted the scene.
As much as he refused to admit it though, his interpretations of people and scenarios were far from flawless of ever-accurate.
Jumping down from his spot, the young man smoothed out his clothes. He’d found another seemingly good pair while rummaging through the seamstress’ discarded works, though he couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would throw them out. They seemed pretty good to him after all, and he had decided to wear it underneath the black cloak he wore when stealing it (seeing that his usual attire would be too much of a give away.)
Who else would dress up in an Asian traditional costume in what had once been Europe?
It wasn’t anything grand, really.
It was just a white long sleeved, button-up shirt with a normal informal collar; he hadn’t buttoned it up all the way, keeping the top open until a little below his collarbone. On top of it, he wore a light black linen high-waist waistcoat (that fell until his hips.) trimmed with black that he found in a closet while looking around. Then, he just wore his usual dark brown pants under it all and a normal pair of shoes that were slightly too large for his feet (to make sure his claws didn’t rip through it). To hide his tail, he chose to wrap it around his waist like a belt. Hey, if people wore furry tails around their necks, he didn’t see why he couldn’t ‘wear’ one as a belt and be looked at too badly. Who even wore a tail around their neck?
Humans were definitely a strange bunch….
Besides, he hadn’t looked too shabby, in his opinion.
He could probably even pass off as a middle-class young man with this get-up.
Now, what method to do for this mark? He normally liked to spice things up by never robbing the same way twice consecutively, at least to make things more interesting for him. Besides, people would get suspicious faster if they all had rips in their pockets.
“I guess I’ll try an accidental approach today.” the young man thought to himself, “ Y’know… bumping into someone, that sort of thing. A bit old-fashioned, but better to see if it works now than to try it later and have it fail on me.”
Wandering into the crowd, the young man smiled. People who looked very different from the ones he was used to came and went, all caught up in their own thoughts. The perfect marks then!
God, was he actually thinking of robbing them all?
Shaking his head, the feral bit down on his tongue.
No. Now wasn’t the time to be distracted.
Ok, ever heard of the saying that people could only focus on one thing at a time? Well, that’s what pickpockets and thieves used to their advantage. When people were thinking about other things, that’s when they’d do their jobs and run; so by the time their mark or prey realised what had happened, they’d then (hopefully) be at a safe and better distance. If possible, they’d also be able to blame those around them and make a clean get away.
There were a lot of people today, good.
That meant a whole area full of scapegoats.
Having earlier swiped eight oranges from a back in the seamstress’ house before he left, the feral smiled. Perfect.
-----------------
“I’m so sorry, sir. ” the young man said frantically as he crouched down, trying to scoop up all the fallen fruit that he’d dropped at the feet of the old high-class middie he’d accidentally bumped into. “ I wasn’t looking where I was going!” Grunting to himself the irritable gentleman bent down to pick up his own fallen belongings, the items that had spilled out of his pocket when Eun’s knee had accidentally hit the man’s leg. Catching sight of a glinting metal object well out of the man’s viewpoint, Eun’s prepared to swipe it.
“May I help you?”
….
Turning to face a cheerful stranger, the young man smiled. “If you don’t mind,” he said, his face noticeably embarrassed, “ I was bringing these oranges home to my grandmother but I accidentally dropped them as I was rushing home. ”
“Of course, but be more careful next time.” Picking up the remaining four oranges, the stranger chuckled to herself. “ The clumsy type I see.” Handing the fallen oranges over to Eun, the woman dusted off her skirt.
”Thank you very much, miss.”
“Ah… wait,“ the young man frowned, digging his free hand into his pocket. “Would you happen to know the time?
I’m afraid I’ve misplaced my watch.”
“No… I’m afraid not.” She frowned.
“Ah… that’s a shame. Thank you for your help though.”
“It’s no problem.” As she walked away from the clumsy, brown-haired boy, the woman caught sight of something on the ground.
A metal pocketwatch had fallen onto the floor a few inches away from the young man.
“Sir!” she called out, scooping it up and running to catch up with him, “ Is this yours?”
“Oh!” turning around at the sound of the stranger’s voice, the young man’s expression change to a shocked but relieved one, “ where did you find this?”
“It was over there,” she motioned, “you must have dropped it when you dropped your oranges.”
“It appears so,” he laughed sheepishly, “I do need to take better care of my things, don’t I? My mother always complained that if my head wasn’t attached to my neck, then I’d probably lose that as well.
Thank you again, miss.”
As the two went on their separate ways, the young man heard a noise from afar.
“Where is it?! My watch!”
But by then, he’d already made his escape.
It was a shame though that that kind woman had been there in the wrong place at the wrong time.
---------------------------
The roof of the seamstress’s house;
Placing his loot (the watch and a few gold coins) in the velvet pouch that he kept in his pocket while working, the young man grinned. This would probably be enough to buy some of the new fancy fabric that was being sold in the clothshop near Whitestag sector after he traded it in.
The watch in particular would be paid for quite a lot, with the increase of people wanting to appear ‘noble and mighty’ and appear dignified in the next House event.
“It’s still early, “ he frowned, “ but I think I may be able to rest today.” Slipping the slim rope that held the pouch up around his neck, the young man tucked it into his shirt. A thief had to take good care of his earnings, didn’t he?
He couldn’t have it stolen by some other person when he was distracted; that wouldn’t do.
After looking for a private place to strip change, the fox hybrid placed his clothes into the tattered satchel bag he always kept hidden within one of the nearby bushes. When he was done with his preparation, he then shifted into his fox form and prepared to head out. His velvet pouch was still hanging quite securely around his neck as he bit down on the handle of the bag and dragged it along with him. So scampering his way over to the Gardens, the fox sprinted as quickly as he could.
-------------------
Ah, the hanging gardens.
It was always so relaxing there.
Walking across the hot cobblestone street of the Whitestag district, the fox shook his fur slightly. It was harder to stretch and detense his muscles in fox-form, but going in his normal, hybrid form would probably attract too much attention.
Especially seeing that he didn’t have a tag or collar, meaning he was considered dangerous and ‘feral’ in this land.
Mmmm.. still. It wasn’t too bad. The summer rays were hot and humid, making his fur turn from a snowy-white to a brownish grey. As he looked for an area that he could enter from, a patch of dirt near the edge of a wall caught his eye. Walking behind the crates that seemed to be placed on top of it, the hybrid pushed it to the side with his body and head by exerting as much force as he could.
He’d been entering through there for a while ever since first noticing it while exploring.
After digging his way through (because last time he tried jumping from a roof to the garden…. Well, let’s just say he was injured for quite a while), the fox made his way over to the marble bench he normally took a nap on when he was tired.
“!”
Catching sight of something… someone lying down on top of the bench—His territory (at least, in his head it was)—the fox blinked in shock. It looked like a human with blindingly painful nailpolish.
Upon further inspection though, he realised those were scales. The figure seemed to have a lot of them, so perhaps he wasn’t a human? Still, he did want an explanation of what the stranger was doing there.
Head down and ears up the fox snarled, a growl emanating deeply from his throat. If one translated his growling from animal speak, they’d realise he was asking about who the stranger—the peculiar gold boy—was. His body stiffened as his eyes flashed dangerously, watching the stranger on the bench and waiting to see how he—it looked like a he—would react.
[/blockquote]
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Ceras on Jul 18, 2012 22:54:20 GMT -5
Sunning himself as he was on the marble bench, Gold almost missed the growl. Almost, but not quite. Eyes lazily held at half-mast as he turned to peer slowly at the newcomer, the Cobra frowned, one lip curling up to reveal teeth that weren’t altogether human-the canines pointed and needle thin as his tongue darted out briefly to taste the air.
A fox. If the tail and the ears weren’t enough, the musky scent lingering on his tongue was a tell-spiced with hints of something Gold couldn’t quite name. Not bothering to push himself up-the sun was far too nice and he was far too comfortable, Gold directed an annoyed, if dazed glare towards the fox. Silly mammal. Didn’t foxes know better than to bother a basking snake?
Setting his head back down with a warning hiss-venomous, cobra, my spot, go away-he stretched out further, though he did not look away. Even dazed and out of sorts as he was by the heady feeling of the sun warming his blood, Gold was coherent enough to realize that looking away from an unfamiliar animal-hybrid or not- was nothing but a death sentence- as good as turning your back on a mongoose.
Movements languid and lazy, Gold tilted his head to the side, brow narrowing minutely as he tested the air again. The light in the creature’s eyes was too intelligent to be that of a normal animal and he knew well enough that foxes of that species weren’t native to the area. Red foxes yes, but those of a dusky brown? No-not quite.
That at least, was enough to pique his interest and he lifted himself up slightly on his forearms, lips pursing slightly as the haze of the sun peeled away. One hand moving up to scratch at the scales on his cheek, Gold frowned, before he tested the air again.
Ah. A hybrid. In animal form. That…explained a lot. And made this situation suddenly a lot more dangerous.
Intrigued almost as much as he was confused, Gold finally pushed himself into a sitting position, though he made no move to give up his spot on the bench. If anything, he was covering it with as much of his body as he could even upright. Arms held defensively at his sides-even sitting like this he was taller than the creature on the ground, Gold bared his teeth-more a canine move than a snake, but it was something the fox should understand. Coupled with a territorial hiss?
Oh yes. It should very much understand that.
ooc: Short reply is short >_< Sorry about that, my Gold muse is being...moody difficult XD
|
|
Eun Lee
New Member
[M:0]
The art of pleasing is the art of deception.
Posts: 10
|
Post by Eun Lee on Jul 19, 2012 1:15:41 GMT -5
A flash of something crossed his vision; had that been a tongue? He couldn't really tell, seeing that his vision wasn't as good as it could be. (In lesser sweetened up words, his vision was quite terrible; as expected of a nocturnal animal.)
Venomous.
Cobra.
His spot.
Go away.
Not the best combination.
Taking note of the stranger's hiss, the fox grunted.
So his choices were to either leave the stranger, and by consequence the bench alone; or risk the possibility of getting badly injured, poisoned, or dying (by a weapon perhaps? Or was the boy trying to insist he had a cobra?) Possibly all of the above.
Now by nature, foxes weren't the type to rip each other's eyes out over a spot; after all, there was little to gain by fighting others who'd already claimed a spot upon the former owner's absence. And in fairness, he hadn't been there for a while ( an already hectic life was very busy lately) meaning that the spot was fair game. So really, it wasn't of much consequence if he withdrew.
Besides, he wasn't stupid.
Fighting with a cobra wasn't the best choice he could make; and he'd probably leave the area as soon as he found a better place to nap anyway.
In truth, he was a bit too proud to admit he'd forgotten to mark his territory there earlier before. Since he'd always approached when it was empty (and stayed there for a few minutes to nap), he hadn't really made it too much of a priority. And he'd been planning to but, he sort of....errr... forgot.
Yes, his animal instincts when it came to territory were beginning to dull in place of his thief ones (which stated to never let your presence be known and don't leave any signs to show you were ever there. Pretty much "do everything in your power to make sure nobody can find or track you.") Still he would be a bit sad to have to find a new napping spot; he had been quite fond of that bench after all.
Examining the gold boy, the fox's body untensed slowly (though the suspicious look on his face did not leave).
Information, he needed more of it to asses the situation at hand.
As he sniffed the air cautiously (those 200,000,000+ scent receptors had to be used for something), he noted that the smell of the boy seemed to have already rubbed off on the bench. He had actually smelt that exact scent earlier before, but he hadn't been sure about whether the scent was that of the bench itself or someone else. Did that mean the boy had been there long? Normally, it took time for such a thing to happen without the use of marking; so that meant this wasn't the first time the boy had been there. In fact, even his own scent hadn't rubbed off yet (though he probably hadn't been there enough times for that to happen.) A fellow animal possibly? Perhaps that was what he'd meant by 'cobra.'... No wonder it seemed as territorial as he was. Curiosity piqued, the fox continued to observe.
Still, something was different.
He didn't smell completely like a human or an animal.
He had that subtle odor that reptiles had, and yet he could also smell things like soap, water, and traces of a fragrant scent that could have come from a rather grand home. From the scent given off, he guessed that this was a rather pampered hybrid.
Probably a pet of a high ranking noble, if his guess was correct.
The gold boy was sitting up now, by the looks of it. Was he leaving? That would be a shame, seeing that he wanted to see more of what this hybrid could do.
Ah, no. He wasn't.
In fact, he seemed to be trying to take up as much space as he possibly could. With arms defensively at his side, the gold boy bared his teeth. His eyesight wasn't good, but Eun caught a flash of white teeth; not human, as he'd began to expect. That wasn't very snake-like he thought to himself, though he did find the act amusing. Yes, he definitely understood what that meant. And the territorial hiss? That sealed his conclusion.
Barking, making his tone a bit friendlier than earlier (because aggravating the snake boy could prove fatal a mistake), the fox cocked his head to the side. " Your territory?" he asked curiously, " Not a threat."
Pawing through the dragged bag slung on his body, the fox removed his cloak and clothes with his teeth. After he crawled inside the loose garments, the fox returned his attention back to the gold boy.
It probably looked silly (scratch that. It looked silly for sure), but it was better than being unprepared.
Making sure to keep eye contact with the snake, the fox stepped back without turning around; it was, after all, necessary to show that he wasn't posing a threat. As he walked cautiously to the side of the bench, the fox hybrid took slow and careful steps.
Carefully...
Carefully...
Sitting beside the bench, the fox stayed still for a few minutes. "No harm", it barked again, looking as innocent as possible. Honestly, he was acting more like a dog than a fox; but what else could he do? It was better than being poisoned.
After ten or so minutes, the fox allowed himself to shift back into his normal, hybrid form. Unlike other times though, he didn't have to hide his ears, markings or tail.
With the cloak and clothes actually fitting him properly the young man chuckled; he'd learned that trick on one of his many little heists, after almost losing his clothes while trying to escape. Besides, going around naked was....
Yeah. He wouldn't be doing that any time soon.
"My apologies for such a rude first impression, Baem (뱀)" the young, brown-haired man said politely, with a quick bow of the head, " I wasn't aware that this was your territory. I'll apologise then for napping under your bench a few times before and will willingly find a new spot if that is what you wish. "
Looking around, Eun frowned. " It is rather bright though, is it not?" he asked curiously, " The sun does not hurt your eyes?"
Forcing himself to go back on topic, the young man shook his head. "My apologies, " he laughed, "I got distracted."
"Honestly, I was doing a chore for the disabled woman I assist, though I'm afraid the sun got to me and made me drowsy.
Foxes are nocturnal, you see.
I was thinking of taking a nap and was shocked to find you on the bench I'd previously rested under; I had no idea it was already marked by someone though.
You definitely caught me off-guard"
"You'd make a pretty good canine though with that technique of yours, if I do say so myself. " he added genially, "I hope it is not too late then to say 'Please to meet you'."
A friendly, cheerful countenance would do the trick.
There was no better one that could (hopefully) lower someone's guard and calm them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Ceras on Jul 21, 2012 20:16:31 GMT -5
The fox was kind of stupid.
Sure, it seemed to understand his words, but the fact that it hadn’t left yet? Well, Gold had some thoughts on the creature’s intelligence. Most animals, hybrid or not, would have turned tail and fled when confronted with a cobra. Lips pursing further into a frown, Gold sprawled further across the bench. His bench, more specifically. If the fox thought he was going to leave without a fight then the thing would be dead wrong.
Eyes narrowing into thin slits, Gold got ready to release another warning hiss; venom already building up in the back of his throat should the creature try to attack.
Nostrils flaring as the canine sniffed the air, Gold watched with all the unwavering intensity of well, a snake. Eyes hardly blinking as he locked a stare on the creature, orange irises following the fox’s every movement; Gold couldn’t help but flinch backwards as the fox released a doglike yip.
“Your territory? Not a threat.”
Pfft. As if Gold would fall for that. Bristling like a disgruntled porcupine, Gold curled in on himself, his hands moving from their outspread position to curl closer towards his lap.
Let the dog think he was calming down. The moment it got close enough, he’d strike.
Eyes still somewhat wild despite his best attempts to keep calm, Gold kept his eye on the fox, stiffening as it moved closer towards him. As the fox stood still for a few minutes, Gold felt himself relaxing despite his best attempts.
Of course, after ten minutes, he was back into full blown panic. Spluttering hisses as he struggled to keep his perch and stand his ground, Gold glared at the fox turned hybrid with all the territorial annoyance his body could hold.
At least, until he caught sight of the other’s clothes.
And well, it was sort of hard to get annoyed at another person when they were wearing a dress. Perhaps his initial test had been wrong? Tongue flicking out faster than the eye could blink, Gold shook his head before he reeled.
Nope. Definitely male.
More intrigued than territorial now-really, if the fox was going to take his bench, then he’d at least have worn some men’s clothing, right? Not some weird foreign dress-Gold gave the fox an unabashed stare as the canine spouted something about the sun and then laughed and shook his head, continuing with an excuse of getting distracted for helping some old disabled woman.
A hybrid, particularly a feral hybrid if the lack of a collar was any indication, helping a human of their own free will? Gold snorted beneath his breath. Ha. He’d heard better lies from a five year old.
Still, it would be rude of him not to answer, and as Master Nicholas’ pet, well, he couldn’t have that.
Shuffling so he was covering more of his bench once more, Gold scowled, ignoring the stranger’s odd dress for the moment in favor of more pressing matters. “Noss soo bright. Like ssse ssun. Warm.” Okay, so his reply might have been a bit short and a little too stilted to be considered polite. At least he’d attempted some sort of speech. Quiet for a moment, Gold sighed before he added, a bit more congenially, “….and would not make a good canine….learned ssass move from a cass.”
Lips curling slightly as he waited to see how the fox would react-they didn’t like cats either, right? Gold leaned forward slightly, attention caught on the stranger’s clothes once more. “….Why….why are you wearing ssssuch odd clothesss? You are foreign, yesss? Sssen….sssen do men wear dresses in your country?”
ooc; Oh Gold, you're one to talk about manly clothing. ._.
|
|
