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(SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Sunjata - 11-07-2019
Sunjata isn’t too certain why he’s spending so much time cleaning up after LongNight. Usually he hadn’t cared when destruction had brought itself upon the places he’s been. It’s always ended up being someone else’s problem. But this time? This time perhaps he feels a bit of guilt from the rubble left behind of the Rathskeller. Perhaps he just wants to help out, knowing he’s stuck here and not forced below ground in a huge rebellion plot to bring down the world around them. Perhaps he’s just bored.
So he brings a few things from when he has helped orchestrate the bar, a broom, rake, and a wheelbarrow for the bigger pieces of rubble left behind. And he starts where he sees the most damage, picking up some of the biggest pieces of rubble and left behind bricks, placing them in the wheelbarrow as he begins to break a sweat. After a few minutes he discards his light jacket, taking a light break with the broom to brush off the porches of nearby shops and stores, clearing it of rubble — paired with a cigarette hanging from his lips.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Kaimana - 11-07-2019
You have decided to observe the human-animals in their natural habitat today. The goal is to determine their priorities: your twin's comments on the value of art have left you to wonder whether there are more who engage in impractical social acts than in functional roles. If so it will be impressive to see how the society has succeeded in supporting itself, given the inherent lack of resources.
Also, you're curious.
Most of your observations have been of non-human animals, so you decided to set this up in a similar fashion. You choose a spot off in the corner where a large piece of debris makes a quite pleasant perch, and you watch. You're not one for notes, having neither patience nor legibile handwriting: instead you like to imagine your mind is a book, and place the things you see within it for later observation.
Of note today: a male human-animal of astounding stature, more vertically gifted than anyone else you've encountered (and significantly moreso than you). You watch him as he does about his work, a patch of mushrooms and some moss springing steadily around you, some dandelions poking stubbornly through the cracks in the cobbled road, your hair steadily sprouting more and more grass.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Sunjata - 11-07-2019
He does feel like, for a moment that he’s being watched. But he passes it off, pulling the cigarette from his lips when he finally manages to clear most of the porches. As he rounds back to his jacket he’s shrugged off, his tiny little griffin emerges from the nest she’s created
And when he looks up, he spots a man of sorts? Short, but something seems to be growing from him, and Sunjata’s steel eyes focus a bit harder on him, crouched along a rather large piece of debris. Passing it off for now, Sunjata reaches over to grab the rake for the bigger pieces, drawing somewhat near Kaimana as he focuses on rounding up the medium sized pieces into a pile. “[say]You’re welcome to help if you plan on sitting there doing nothing and watching me all day.[/say]” He rumbles, voice thickly accented this time, head lifting toward the unknown man with a raise of his dark brow and amused smirk playing on his lips.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Kaimana - 11-07-2019
The man notices you soon enough, but quite frankly you have lost all interest in him. Far more interesting is the creature on his shoulder: a tiny, beautiful, blue and white griffin that appears to be both canine and magpie and utterly enchanting in every way. As the griffin
So much for quiet observation.
[say]"Hullo!"[/say] you call distractedly in reply to the man, your eyes (and words) fluttering rapidly between the human and giffin. [say]"D'ya need help with something? I'm s'posed to be observin', but I can take a break to help. You're beautiful, y'know. How didja meet her?"[/say]
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Sunjata - 11-08-2019
The man is strange, as far as Sunjata’s concern. But he appears absolutely the least bit threatening, and as he begins to say hello and hop from his perch, Haai grows ever more intrigued. She stands, head peeking out from behind Sunjata’s short scruffy beard to pop a quiet howl of hello to Kaimana.
Sunjata straightens and rests his hands on the top of the rake as he turns to look toward the other man, amusement still very clearly in his face. “[say]I’m trying to help clean up after the nightmare of LongNight. And there’s plenty of work still to be done.[/say]” He informs, tilting his head slightly. “[say]What are you supposed to be observing?[/say]” He finally asks after a moment, before Haai begins to preen at the compliment — iridescent feathers spreading in full appreciation of the attention.
“[say]Oh, I found her egg in the mud in the Outskirts. She hatched and bit me immediately, so she’s got some fire to her.[/say]” He snorts, feeling Haai clamor over his shoulder to the other to inspect the man further.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Kaimana - 11-11-2019
[say]"Why was it a nightmare?"[/say] Your curiosity is genuine, though your tone is a little more tempered than usual, respectful in its subdued nature. You haven't heard too much about LongNight here, except that it is unpleasant and there are deaths. Genuinely, you would like to hear more, but it seems as though it is not a topic the native population is keen on speaking about.
What are you supposed to be observing? [say]"Everythin',"[/say] you answer simply, extending your hands in an open invitation for the griffin to come investigate further. The warning about fire does nothing to deter you: indeed, if you were more prone to scarring you might have a truly impressive collection of them from similar encounters in your past. [say]"How did y'know she was a companion?"[/say] you wonder curiously, sable eyes never leaving the beautiful little animal. [say]"Didja feel her thoughts right away?"[/say]
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Sunjata - 11-12-2019
For a moment, Sunjata is surprised by the question Kaimana points his way. Did the man not know about it? Has he not heard about the terrible things that happened? Well, luckily for Kai, he has no qualms really with talking about it. So inhaling deeply, he shuffles a bit more of the debris from the porches as he contemplates where to start. “[say]I guess we had these locks on the door of the Rathskeller that could only be open with a heartbeat. And the monsters got someone, opened the door, and killed him to get in.[/say]” He lifts his head to look at Kaimana’s freckled face, a hint of seriousness beneath the mask. “[say]Started writing in the blood left behind, and so we burned the Rathskeller down and I think it got rid of the monsters, thankfully.[/say]” A shrug.
“[say]They also sound like people asking to come in. It’s… Rough.[/say]” And it had been, and up until the end Sunjata was content to keep the door closed for everyone that came knocking. Until Remi’s voice had reached his mind through the bond, something he didn’t think the monsters could recreate. And he had been right, in the end.
He’s surprised, still, when Kaimana mentions he’s observing everything. It seemed like a ridiculous goal, but one he couldn’t shoot down in that moment so he remains silent, letting himself stand still while Haai drifts down his arm toward Kai in complete intrigue. Then, she hops from his arm, hoping to swoop up and land on the shorter man’s head, while Sunjata’s lips curl in a slight smirk. “[say]Yeah, it was pretty immediate. Felt like I was starting to get a headache and then I was just flooded by… the feeling of new experiences? It was overwhelming at first.[/say]” He’s gotten used to the headache that’s become four legged and feathery.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Kaimana - 11-12-2019
There is a marked solemnity to you as you listen, your hands tracing absent patterns on the stone where you sit. Monsters making mockery of life, opening doors and allowing for infiltration? It is nothing like LongNight in the places you have been, as hazy as your memories of those dark winters may be. [say]"That is terrible."[/say] A simple statement, no question within. It is terrible, and for a moment you are uncharacteristically quiet and still, digesting the little you have heard.
It is a brief moment of quiet, of course, interrupted swiftly by a change in pace and topic. Grinning widely as the griffin finds her way down the Tall Man's arms, you continue to gaze adoringly at the creature, thrilled to be acknowledged by such a magnificent child. You only look back at the Tall Man when the griffin jumps onto your head, and then only because you cannot physically admire the little creature anymore. Laughing gleefuly you grin at the human, trying to stay still and allow the griffin to make a nest among your locks.
[say]"An' after? Has the bond been strengthenin' and changin' at all? D'ya still feel overwhelmed?"[/say] There's a whiff of envy in your voice, rather uncharacteristic but distinctly there. You would love nothing more than to have a companion of your own one day, so long as it did not interrupt the natural order of things.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Sunjata - 11-13-2019
It’s entirely a solemn experience, and Sunjata has no qualms agreeing with the tone the man takes when he mentions it was terrible. A small nod is given, a hand reaching up to rest around the side of his neck where the compass tattoo sat. “[say]It makes Flowerbirth all the more… enjoyable, at least.[/say]” So much less death and carnage – a chance to enjoy and reflect. And even though it’s his first flowerbirth here, he embraces it all the same.
Still, the feelings shift as Haai has a tendency to do – hopping from his arm to drift onto the other man’s head, and Sunjata’s steel gaze follows his companion as she begins to nest in his hair, pulling curls here and there, patting with small paws and circling to sit as if it’s the best place in the entire Hollowed Grounds.
The question, however, makes him pause in his attempt at cleaning up before he regards Kaimana again. “[say]Not as much overwhelmed anymore, not unless something huge has happened.[/say]” He rumbles in his accent, tilting his head slightly as he stares at the small griffin. “[say]It feels more normal? Not necessarily stronger. I can feel when she gets excited, interested, upset. Likewise I think she can feel mine too.[/say]”
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Kaimana - 11-16-2019
Flowerbirth! Could it even really somehow be better? [say]"What's flowerbirth like here?"[/say] So far it's pretty adequate, though you would like to see a little more plant life and wildflowers and animals going wild. But if it gets better, bigger, brighter, more brilliant-! Your eyes are practically alight with interest and curiosity, and it is only the griffin landing on your head that keeps you from bouncing in your seat.
As Haai nests she will find obliging grass blades bursting from your suddenly unmoving crown. Lichen and moss has been steadily finding its way into existence around the stone you sit upon. Shockingly still given your enormous amount of energy, you gaze up at the Tall Man through wide brown eyes, drinking in each of his comments with wordless enthusiasm. [say]"D'ya think that feelin' her makes your feelin's change? An' that her feelins' change yours too? How far away can y'feel her from? Is it diff'rent dependin' on what feelins' they are?"[/say]
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Sunjata - 11-16-2019
At the question of what Flowerbirth is like, he pauses and considers it. “[say]Don’t really know, actually.[/say]” A light frown at his unhelpfulness. But he’s never experienced it, knew nothing really about it. “[say]It’s my first time here. I arrived in… Longheat just before Leafchange.[/say]” He’ll be coming up on a year here soon. And what a year it had been – a rollercoaster of sorts. Ups and downs that he couldn’t comprehend, couldn’t understand, still didn’t really get in the grand scheme of things.
Still, he hopes the answer is good enough for this strange man. Haai doesn’t seem to mind him at all as she howls a high pitched sound of excitement at the grasses that sprout from his hair, batting at them and using them to make a bed, scratching lightly with tiny paws to make a bed and rest upon in her content, wings spreading and giving a sort of shadowed appearance to the top of his head like he’s some kind of superhero.
Sunjata regards Kaimana again, steel eyes skating over the freckled man with interest. “[say]Sometimes, yeah.[/say]” He answers at first. “[say]If she’s really happy it’s hard to stay in a bad mood. As for how far? I’m not sure. She basically goes with me everywhere nowadays.[/say]” The last question, however, takes him a bit longer to contemplate, and he looks up to the companion who stares back at him with wide emerald eyes. “[say]She’s usually either happy or upset. One feels like… Sunshine, like the warmth of the sun on a chilly morning. When she’s upset it feels like the world before a thunderstorm.[/say]” That sort of… Static feeling where there’s this sense of impending doom on the horizon.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Kaimana - 11-19-2019
[say]"We could find out?"[/say] you suggest helpfully, always ready for a new experiment. [say]"If you walk to the other side of the street can you still feel her?"[/say] The description of sunshine and warmth, of thunderstorms and chill- it's left your heart thundering in a new and unusual way, a feeling you don't often experience coiling unpleasantly in your breast. Is that... envy? Are you envious? What in Rae's name for, you loon- you have Oia, and all the plants and animals in the world. What do you even need a companion for?
No no no. Much better to distract yourself with experiments, and if that comes along with some lovely griffin cuddles then who's to blame you? [say]"I can stay here with her,"[/say] you add somewhat selfishly, reaching up to gently stroke the hybrid on your head. It's painfully obvious in your expression how much you want to continue cuddling the infant, your brown eyes wide as a puppy's, your smile shy and eager.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Sunjata - 11-19-2019
His suggestion takes Sunjata somewhat by surprise. He hadn’t tested it, really. Either Haai had been there or not, and he hadn’t really focused on it much after that. Steel eyes slip toward the other side of the street, judging the distance. It isn’t far, but with how new the bond is with his griffin, it might become a bit more fuzzy the further he gets. But he doesn’t know either, is so unsure that he follows through with it. “[say]Alright.[/say]”
He sets the rake he’d been using propped up against the debris that Kaimana is nestled upon, eyes glancing up to Haai as he scratches her head and she squeaks a small sound of appreciation, the feeling of sunshine breaking through clouds crossing Sunjata’s mind. He thinks on that as he steps across to the other side of the street, head tilting as he turns to look at the duo, arms crossing along his chest with furrowed brows. It seems… Almost staticky, like the feeling has been deadened in just that amount of distance.
He steps back over, a slight smile given to Kai in response. “[say]I can feel her, just not as well. Like it’s broken up, not as strong.[/say]” He reaches for the rake again, steel eyes alight with what Kai might think of it.
RE: (SE) will we burn, or will we repent? - Kaimana - 11-19-2019
You watch as Sunjata accepts your invitation, tilting your head as he walks away, the rake abandoned against the wall. The road is not large, and you're surprised that the bond already decreases with such a small distance, making a mental note to ask Oia to write it down later.
[say]"How far d'ya have to go to not feel her?"[/say] you ask, curious if there is indeed a distance at which the bond goes silent. [say]"I wonder if bond duration an' age makes it stronger- maybe we can repeat the experiment in the future an' test the changes?"[/say]