Difference between revisions of "GoldenCat/TruthsOfTheSoul"

Revision as of 04:14, 30 July 2006

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Truths of the Soul

Child of Wyld Days: So small. So tiny. So insignifigant in the grand scope of things.

The Child of Wyld Days, busy lounging about in the living area of the fallback manse that Iron Tears' allies have chosen, has found something to occupy her attention. Lying practically flat on the ground, she looks at the mouse in front of her, busy worrying on a piece of bread in-between beady-eyed glances at the strange tall thing that brought it here for a meal. Snow Monkey's tail sways to and fro lazily as she simply watches, pondering just how such a tiny little thing can exist in the world of gods and monsters. "... I have to admit, you're a cute little thing, mouse. I might have to keep you."

Seventh Moon: "Might not wanna." A voice answered her from across the room. Leaning against the doorframe, Seventh Moon watched the wyld-born woman nearly in the same manner as she watched the mouse. "Rodents round here tend ta carry stuff with 'um. Plague spirits 'n shit." He cocked his head to the side. "Don't know if your kinds gotta worry 'bout that or not though."

Child of Wyld Days: "Rrrro?" Eyebrows up, the Child's non-eyes fix on Moon, and he's certain she's looking his way even through there are no visible pupils to show it. The mouse, suitably surprised, scampers off before the Child can reach out to snap it back up. "... oh, bah! I was enjoying this... oh well, I'll find another." She rises to a sitting position, resting back on her hands and regarding Seventh Moon with obvious interest. "And no, we don't have to worry about pithy little things like disease. Well, not naturally. I don't know if I can get sick in this body... I'd like to try it out someday..."

Seventh Moon: The Lunars eyes track the mouse as it hurries off to whatever mouse-y bolt hole it had staked out for itself. The sight of something small and furry dashing away brought the twitching urge to give chase, but the mouse wasnt half as interesting as the fae. Turning back to Days, Moon shoved off from the wall and prowled leisurely into the room, stalking a slow circle around the fae. "Why?" he demanded simply of her comment.

Child of Wyld Days: "Because... well. All I have to go on are faint little experiences. One is quite terrible... open sores and blood from the mouth and all that. I wouldn't like to go that far, but..." She shrugs. "To live is to experience life. And I've only had... about five or six years of experience here in the fixed world. More than most of my kind, but it doesn't satisfy me."

Seventh Moon: "Bein sicks an experience most folkd be happy ta never have. Layin in bed alone, burnin up and hackin till it feels like ya trying to cough ya insides out of your throat. And thats just the easy ones." Moon stopped mid stride, folding his arms and leaning his weight onto the back of a chair, legs stretched out behind him. "Only five or six years? Outta the edgelands, ya mean?"

Child of Wyld Days: "Mmm-hmm!" Snow Monkey nods, staying right where she is. "The Marches are home, and I always return home. But... I do spend some time here. Dabbling here, fighting there... there's always something new to see and something new to do... sure, I've 'seen' and 'done' alot of it, but there's nothing like firsthand experience." She idly scratches at her ribs, letting out a momentary yawl. "You're a Moonchild, so you can dance in the Wyld safely... do you ever go?"

Seventh Moon: "Naw. Barely been outta the city till lately. Shit had gone like it should'a, wouldn't have even gone that far, y'know? Sides, this place is fucked up good enough without goin somewhere that all said is twice as bad." He shrugged his shoulders and pushed up off the chair, stretching his arms and back with a luxurious popping of joints before he righted himself. "Wouldnt know where ta start or how ta get there even if I wanted to. Wyld wanderin aint been high on my lista needful things."

Child of Wyld Days: "Oh, but I'm sure you'd enjoy it... it's such a daring, dangerous, beautiful place... perfect for sightseeing if you're not afraid of a little trouble here and there. And I could even take you to my home! It's a grand place, and I'm like unto a queen there... well, every other month, but that's neither here nor there." She rocks a little in place. "But enough about me... I know almost nothing about you, hero. Start impressing me."

Seventh Moon: He eased himself back against the wall, thrusting a hand into the pockets of his coat. The other rested lightly atop the low table beside him. Moon slid a finger across the tabletop as his fingernail turned black. The skin bellow it split open as it folded in on itself, forming a stunted black claw that clipped into the polished finish and pried a long splinter from the table. He slipped it between his lips, chewing on the tip.

"Why should I wanna impress you? Ain't no thing ta me if ya think high or low. What you want? You want my scar stories? Wanna hear 'bout warin' in the street and puttin' down all the other gangs?" Moon paused, holding the splinter between his fingers and using it to pick between his elongated canines. "How bout the time I ate one'a you alive?"

Child of Wyld Days: "Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes." She pauses at the last bit. "How do we taste?" She leans forwards, legs slipping into a lotus posture and elbows on her knees, resting her chin on her clasped hands. She looks... actually interested to hear what Moon has to say.

Seventh Moon: His eyes looked past his own hand and focused on Days sharply. Hadnt expected enthusiasm out of her. Least not on that subject.

Not about to let his bluff get called though, Moon rolled the splinted back and forth with his lips. Scuffing a boot against the floor, he frowned thoughtfully at the carpet, calling back the moment in the woods. "Was a fairy girl and this kinda wooden deer stag thing. I dunno what the fuck it was, though I think it belongs to me now." He sounded uncertain about that, casting a glance towards a window near by. Was that thing still waiting for him out beyond the wall ? "Red haired bitch, the Vestal, she sent the two along with Kanti and Fiona ta kill Selina n me. This was all before we even got to the Boil. Took down the lil fairy bitch easy, but that fuckin deer thing kept stabbin me in the back. I remember gettin mad. Gettin scared remember lots a light and just wantin not ta die. Wantin ta make sure the thing tryin ta kill me died instead"

Moon trailed off as he stared distantly at the window pane and not the landscape beyond. Finally, he looked back down at Days and shrugged. "She tasted like flowers."

Child of Wyld Days: "The more literal ones tend to emulate their appearance in more ways than one." She looks to be absorbing that information, tail patting against the ground. Once, twice... and she stops. "I have to wonder, though. Do you trust me, Seventh Moon? I really have wondered this... and it seems my kind have fun afoul of most everyone here in one way or another."

Seventh Moon: "Course I don't fuckin' trust ya." He glared at her, as if the question itself had been offensive. "Sheeyit... after the way the last one'a you who was supposed ta be on our side fucked shit up? Bitch nearly got us all killed. So far every time we hung with onea you, ya try ta cut us open one way or another. I preached that bullshit at the bossy bitch up on the roof just cause she pissed me off and I trusted her even less."

He stopped though, the bitterness dropping from his face and from his tone as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Way I see it though, you aint given no reason for anyone ta clip ya just yet and I been judgin a lotta people pretty wrong lately. Ill be the first ta smack your fairy ass around if ya turn on us, but I aint gonna chase ya off just cause your whatever the fuck you are. Sides, I heard ya talkin on the roof. Less that was bullshita the same time I was shovelin, I know why ya here."

Child of Wyld Days: "Excellent! Really, you should keep a wary eye around me. I'm trouble, I've been told." She winks; it's a loaded wink, almost. Could she be serious? Joking? It's hard to tell with faeries, even with ones as honest about themselves as the Child. Nonetheless, she rises, ears perked and senses taking in the anger bleeding momentarilly from Moon... and suddenly, she is hungry. Very hungry. The look on her face falls a little, and she takes a moment to shove her craving to the rear of her mind. "I crave glory and honor and the spoils of war, yes. So far, so very good! But I imagine things are not quite done, are they? Perhaps one more grand push? Or something more focused? A group of dead Exalted? Who knows? I sure as hells don't, and that's the fun part of it all, the surprise!"

"But enough about me, moonslayer. You don't... come off as the sort to rise as far as you have. It has to be more than your Essence... what is it that drives your Creation-Heart, hm? What moves you?"

Seventh Moon: Moon did just as she told him too, snapping his attention back to Days as she started to rise, shifting off the wall with a fist clenching warily in his pocket. And he didnt quite relax again, even when her tone changed. She made it sound like she didn't want to be trusted. And that both was and wasnt in his nature to do. She was difficult, irritating in a way. He liked that.

Moon left his place on the wall and took back to pacing around the edge of the room, feet moving forward while his eyes stayed locked where they were. He flashed a feral grin at her. "I aint too fond of surprises myself. They aint never turned out ta be good ones. Guess maybe thats whats been drivin me lately. Lotsa nasty surprises. Sicka assholes from outside comin round, fuckin with my city and with my life. Seein everythin I know get fucked over cause some bastard who thinks hes better than the Boil - and thats every fuckin bastard that knows it - steps in and buggers us all in the ass so he can get somethin outta it. Mostly just tireda bein shoved around by people who dont seem ta think I matter. That this place matters, yknow?"

Child of Wyld Days: Ah, Seventh Moon, Hellhound of the Boil, you matter. You do indeed matter. And perhaps you simply can't see it, or do not accept it. Only time will tell, hm?

"Of course it matters! It is a place of work and toil and sweat, a land where man makes the things he needs to survive and thirive. And... hm. It seems to be a constant that there is always someone seeking to dominate their neighbors. It is no different in the realm of the raksha; we crave to control one way or another. It's a way of ensuring your continued existance, after all." She could only grin back, her own canines much less prominent than Moon's, but still there. "However, to soothe your soul a litle... I swore to the Iron God before the grand battle. To fight, to aide. So I suppose I am, for now, as concerned about the Boil as you are, wardog. You may not consider me an ally, but... I suppose we're like-minded acquaintances, yes?"

Seventh Moon: "Close enough," he agreed, shrugging in helpless accent to the situation. His eyes glowed though, clearly more than a little proud to hear someone else - someone other than those who already lived in it or wanted to come in and "make a better place" of it - say that his home mattered. "More n most of um who are supposed ta be here ta help, least ways I can see it. Doesnt mean Im gonna leave ya alone with the place any time soon though. A promise ta Rusty dont carry much weight round me, yknow?"

Moon looked at her with guarded curiosity, his whole body leaning away from her as if in wary expectation. " you really tumble his clanky-ass?"

Child of Wyld Days: "You would not believe how hard of a fuck he is when he wants to be!" She laughs, remembering her little encounter with Iron Tears most fondly. "And... what can I say? He is iron, and to say that I shared his bed would make for an excellent opening in conversations. But... gah, the bruises. Well worth it, but there's something about aches that you can't normally make go away." She de-crosses her legs, kicking them idly as she watches Moon's expression closely. "But, yes. And he was quite good. I may try another time in the future. For now, I need to focus myself on matters outside of the bedroom."

• Chibi-Selina: I would...

Seventh Moon: He watched the motion of her legs, or rather at least admired her legs as they moved, and let out an amused huff. "Don't see why ya'd have to. Only been once so far fuckin' around got any'a us inta trouble. Sheeyit. Think it actually got us outta trouble once too." He chuckles, though with a dry humor to it. The tumbling itself had never bugged him much, but there were some pretty unhappy memories associated with the night Rusty took Selina to bed. His eyes mired in the memories of that, he went on in a softer tone, face lowered and gaze up. "Even odds on it, then. Whatcha ya plan on doin thats gonna take up that much of ya time?"

Child of Wyld Days: "Fight. Hunt. Explore the Boil some. Maybe see if I can learn a few new tricks." She offers a slightl shrug. "What can I say, I'm easily amused and pleased." She rolls back, popping to her feet with a hoot and a bit of a flourish. That done, she starts to stretch, joints popping loudly in the process. "Life is not just sex and carousing, as fun at that can be. I may be a slave of my Graces, but I can still walk different paths... hm. Is there a library here?"

Seventh Moon: "No shittin." Moon nodded, grinning. Yeah, screwing and carousing were some of the better ways to spend your time, if you asked him. Still, the light that flickered in his eyes said enough that he could appreciate the rest just as well.

"Aint one right here, but Rusty's got one. Y'know how ta read n shit?" He risked, looking away from her somewhat as he tried to not to sound unduly interested.

Child of Wyld Days: "You would be surprised just how much I have trapped in this Air-head of mine, wardog." She grins, tapping a finger to her temple. "Just because I'm raksha does not make me completely incapable of forming a structured throught. I had to take shape to get here, after all! That requires thought and planning and instruction. One cannot just tame the Shinma the moment they're born." She pauses, and it dawns on her than a fair number of the people in the Boil themselves are probably illiterate, and not simply because they wished to remain so. "... hrn. I wonder..." She sticks her tongue out in thought, rubbing her left hand along the cyst binder on her right forearm, the gossamer-glass seeming to curl and writhe under her touch.

Seventh Moon: "Wasn't doubtin' it," Moon tried hastily to explain, turning back towards her with a hand upraised. "Just I..."

The thought stops before he can finish it, fresh suspicion coloring his face as he watched her hand move. Hairs stiffened on the back of his neck and his arm lowed, fingers curling inward tightly. Light swirled through his eyes in time with the motions of the cyst as he tipped his chin out towards the thing she stroked upon her arm. "What the fuck is that thing?"

Child of Wyld Days: "Ah! This..." She holds her arm up, and the gossamer strands return to their normal configuration, holding tightly to the green amorphous sac of dreams trapped within. She points a finger to the carbuncle itself. "... is a cyst. It is alot like the hearthstones of Creation. You see, we use demesnes, as well... but we can't quite make manses, so we form our homes, our freeholds. Cysts are born in the process... they keep Creation from crushing me like a bug, and it sates my hungers a little. The binder holding it just keeps it on my person. I can't afford to lose it."

She holds her arm out. "You can touch it if you'd like... it won't hurt you at all. The cyst is a bit warm, though." Allow me to show you a little of my world, wardog. You may not trust me, but at least I can try to make you comfortable.

Seventh Moon: Stepping close, he leaned in towards Days, nostrils flaring as he sniffed at the air near the green globule fixed to her arm. The scent was like the city. No, people in the city. Like a thousand conflicting emotions and thoughts, all smashed together into a pattern so artless it was beautiful. It smelled like sweet leaf and a shit house all at once. Sweet shit? And it was deeply familiar.

Moon jerked back, startled as the sensations blasted over his senses. An excited shiver ran down his back. His eyes swung up to Days quickly, blinking rapidly as a silvery sheen ran over them. Was it a trap? Could he trust her?

Of course he couldnt. Thats what made it fun. He grinned at her, tossing his head to shake the bangs from his face and the dizziness from his head. "Aite."

He reached out without hesitation and clasped a palm over the strange green lump of Wyld, threading steel up his spine for whatever may come.

Child of Wyld Days: She could only grin back, unmoving, unflinching, knowing that he was feeling the sweet, vile sting of dream that emanated from the cyst, her defense against Creation, that which made the hunger a bit easier to bear. Upon contact... warmth. Little else, unfortunately. Perhaps... a feeling, albeit momentary, of a realm far greater than his fixed being can comprehend. Large, too large... tundra, ice, faceless soldiers with gear of frost, a city built within a towering ice-hand... and the stench of blood, pain, joy, fear, valor, treachery, apple trees, and naked anticipation.

For a moment, the Chapel of Liar's Ice touches the Hellhound of the Boil, and in the space between heartbeats, the feeling passes. The Child knows what she feels, however, and looks at Moon carefully, gauging his reaction. You have a greater sliver of the Wyld in you than most. The Mad Moon Father-Mother made sure of this. I wonder what it is that you sense, my friend...

Seventh Moon: Battle.

Battles.

A thousand battles, stretching backwards to infinity. A thousand days and a thousand years wading in mad laughter through the fields of unfixed reality. Dine upon the flesh and blood of the chthonic-gods who dwell within. Listen to the choir hymns sung by a million spinning keys. Hear the cold lumps of Essence call you brother. Love and learn how not to love the beauty of it all. How often did I walk this land? How long did I dwell within? I came to this world lost and left it alive, baring still the gifts of a hundred kingdoms, none of them real. Carrying with me a hundred oaths as one, all of them lusted for. Lusted for still how far must we go to find them?

Moons eyes were empty, his expression locked into the cocky grin. Heavy clouds of steam billowed from his mouth as if he stood upon those frozen tundras, with those faceless, frozen warriors. The light had begun in his eyes and moved quickly beyond. Into the air around him, spinning motes of silvery Essence weaving silver spider-webs, dancing each in turn towards a fixed point. And as they found their place, the lines between them grew stronger. They carved shape into the air. Two great eyes. A hundred massive teeth. A pair of paws larger than either being standing in that room pressed to the floor on either side of Days as the massive head peered down at her intently. Cunning, predatory intelligence gleamed in the Hounds gaze at it watched the Raksha, saying in no words at all it would bare no treachery from her, while its master was away.

And then Moon blinked. The hound washed away in an unseen wind, leaving only a mournful cry in the air as it was smeared away like a chalk portrait in the rain. Moon blinked again, his eyes focusing on the white monkey face in front of him.

"Yeah," he nodded as he took his hand away from her arm, going on with the conversation in an unbroken fashion, rubbing a thumb against his palm. "Its pretty warm aite. That oughta be nice when its cold."

Child of Wyld Days: "Don't feel the cold. Could run naked in a blizzard and all I'd do it get wet when the snow melted. Trust me, I've tried it. All things considered, it's not as grand as it sounds." She lowers her arm, examining the wardog's expression for a moment, simply refusing to hint at what she felt

TerrorglorymajestyhorrordeathdeathDEATHohThiefofWordssavemefrom---from what is not, yet may have been. What... was that?

. "And... yes. The toys of the Wyld are a thing unto themselves. This is both tool and weapon, but only in the Marches. Here, I cannot shape... and that always bothers me so. I would love to create a little spectacle for everyone to behold... maybe a few thousand dancers in silks made from the moans of randy gods..." She drifts into thought again, mind going back to her little 'session' with the manse-making Opal. I will unloosen that woman's strings soon enough.

Seventh Moon: "Sounds kinda fucked up. Guess that goes for plenty'a stuff I hear 'bout lately though." Moon admitted, dropping his hand and rubbing it against his pant leg irritably. It felt strange, like hed stuck it into a barrel of week old rain water. Still, the experience hadnt been as exciting as hed thought and he frowned somewhat in disappointment. "Ya still wanna hit down a library?"

Child of Wyld Days: Snow Monkey nodnods almost giddily, quickly changing mental gears! "I would love to... although I can only read the old tongue and the languages of the Northern folk. I really do need to spend time absorbing more languages." She seems to almost bounce in place, waiting to be led like a child promised sweets. "So... where to?"

Seventh Moon: "Out on the town darlin'. Gotta talk a walk ta get there. Find Rusty and slap him round a lil till he lets us in." Moon waved towards the arch leading to the antechamber and the front door beyond, then swung the same hand around and held his palm up towards the fairy-woman's face. "Gotta condition first though. Parts for service, y'know?"

Child of Wyld Days: Well! I should've seen this coming! Shrewd doggie you are, Seventh Moon. Hmph, fine, I'll play your game for now!

"A condition?" She put on the best look of mild unconcern that she could muster, folding her arms almost theatrically. "I'm sure that your request will be easy to fulfill, Seventh Moon. Speak, and I shall listen."

Seventh Moon: He slipped his hand into his coat pocket and left the other hanging loose, swaying in obvious agitation. Nervousness? Embarrassment? It was hard to tell, with the look on his face its usual glare and feral grin. "I get ya there and get ya in with lil fuss and get ya out with whatever ya want from it. You teach me how ta use the damn books. Yknow, how ta read um." He wagged his fingers through the air to clarify the point.

Child of Wyld Days: "Ooh... oooooh." At that she nods, all smiles. "It can be done. It indeed can be done, and seeing that you're Exalted, it may be doable much faster than even you can imagine... and really, once that's done, a whole world opens up... there's a different... flavor to communication when it's written--in any event! Lead the way, my friend! I will follow."

Seventh Moon: Moon tipped his head to the side, looking at the raksha incredulously. He hadnt expected it to be that easy. Knowledge was power or some shit like that. Either way, there wasnt a damn person who knew how to read in the city that wouldnt charge you their weight in jade to teach you.

Hey, don't shit on it. Luck is luck. Goddamn fuckin' time I had a lil of it.

He flashed a bright grin and waved her on as he headed towards the door. "A'ite darlin'. Lets go fuck with Rusty awhile." He looked back over his shoulder at her, flipping up the collar of his coat to ward off the expected cold outside. "Yknow, the other way."

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