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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Apr 21, 2009 16:31:55 GMT -5
He found himself feeling rather sympathetic towards Pari despite himself, tilting his head at her as she trailed her fingers along the water's surface. He may have been a slave, and that was still imprinted on him as heavily as anything, it probably always would be to some extent, but he had never undermined his own abilities like that. Kai knew he could do things, and before he had been emotionless and had given up on life he had been defiant and proud, and he felt that Pari should at least have a little of that pride. She'd just broken him out of slavery just because she thought it was right, and considering the type of people he'd been around for his whole life, that was pretty miraculous in itself. And he had been about to tell her so, before she suddenly fired the question at him.
A little puzzled, he tilted his head in confusion at first. He thought it would have been obvious what he was - sure, he knew not many people knew of demons... well, half-breeds like him around these parts, since he supposed wolves would have been rather rare out here in the heat, but he'd assumed that most had seen or at least heard of a demon before. They were everywhere, he could sense them all the time, even when he didn't want to. They didn't seem as docile as he was though, and he knew from experience that they didn't react too well to half-breeds anyway.
"I'm half demon." he put in for her softly, almost carefully as if expecting her to recoil from it or something, "Wolf demon, to be exact. Which explains the 'ears and tail' as you put it. These as well." he flashed her his sharp, animalistic canines, letting the spout of water from the fountain trickle through his fingers now as he talked. "It's why I can heal so quickly. And why I was so fast in the arena. Strong too, if I had the chance. I can feel it there, even if I'm not that strong right now." he murmured, tensing his hand into a fist as if to prove his point.
"And it's why I could hear the people, and smell my Master coming." he muttered, one ear flicking absently as a group of children rushed past the opening to the side street without looking at them. "If it helps, just think of me as a wolf that's got a few human qualities too." he shrugged, all too easily able to animalise himself for her. A beast. That was what his Master had called him. Kai was more like a puppy right now, really.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Apr 21, 2009 17:15:24 GMT -5
Pari didn't recoil in horror or anything like that when he told her what he was, though a hint of confusion crept into her eyes. She didn't know very much about demons, and she had never know that there were different types. Kai must be a rarety if he was a half demon, she doubted that demons and humans mixed very often, and when they did she would bet that they didn't get along well. Maybe that was why his voice had been so quiet when he told her?
"I would put it the other way around. To me you seem like more of a human with a few wolfish qualities." She shook her head at him. "But it makes more sense if you explain it like that." She nodded and smiled to him. "I like your ears, they're kinda cute. I can't say the same about your teeth though, but I don't think that teeth are supposed to be very cute." If he was more wolfish she expected that he would have sniffed her when they met, and just seemed far too...tame.
She went quiet for a moment or two then, seeming to be watching their reflections in the pool before she suddenly looked up at him. "Are you hungry?" She asked. "Because I could go and get you something from the market if you are." She suggested. She had eaten this morning, so she was fine, but he did look rather scrawny, and he obviously hadn't been fed well in the arena.
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Apr 22, 2009 9:33:31 GMT -5
"A human with a few wolfish qualities..." he repeated, the faintest smile on his face as he nodded. "I never thought of it like that before." he admitted, tilting his head at her as she said his ears were... cute? "They're just ears... I don't usually notice they're there. You've gone and made me more conscious of them." he murmured softly, smirking and touching one black-tipped, fluffy ears as if to check they were still up there. Yup, like normal. That giant of a guy hadn't ripped one off or anything, then.
He had let himself get distracted again when she fell silent, eyes closing as he let the heat from the sun wash over them, almost at its peak of midday now. Ugh, the temperature would only get worse from here. He was busy listening to a conversation in the distance between two men about the price of wine when her voice brought him back, and he opened his eyes again rather sleepily. "Hungry?" he rubbed at the back of his head, shrugging lightly. "I'm always hungry. I can't remember a time when I wasn't. Even on the wastes in Ising, but I guess the whole pack was hungry then, not just me." he murmured. "It comes and goes though... I don't notice it as much when it gets hot. So I think I'm okay for now. D'you want to go get something for yourself?"
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Post by Angel ♥ on Apr 22, 2009 14:06:17 GMT -5
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you more conscious of them." She apologised, rubbing at the side of her head. The last thing she wanted to do was make him more conscious of them, though, even now, watching his ears flick around at all the different sounds made her smile. He might not agree that they were cute, but they most certainly were. They were fluffy, how could they not be adorable?
"Oh, it's alright, I'm not hungry. I ate this morning." She told him, seeming surprised that he wasn't hungry. She doubted that he had eaten this morning, so shouldn't he be starving? Oh well, if he said that he wasn't hungry then he must not be. He could eat later when she got herself something, and she would be more insistant then if he said no. It wasn't healthy going for days on end without eating.
"We should find somewhere to get you out of the sun soon, it's getting warm..." She nodded to him, pouting just a little as she looked down at the water. Well, if he was too warm then there was a simple solution to that without them having to move. A glimmer of mischief flickered through her eyes as she suddenly splashed Kai. "Ooooor, you could just cool off in the fountain. See, easy."
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Apr 22, 2009 15:24:07 GMT -5
"It is getting warm..." he agreed with the faintest of scowls, looking up into the flawless blue sky in a rather accusatory way, as if willing the sun to just disappear and leave him alone for just one day. Was that so hard to ask? He was still distracted, looking up at the sky when she splashed water at him, not even his acute senses being able to predict that one. He yelped in surprise as the cold water was flicked over him, leaping up from the edge of the fountain to look at her incredulously, as if to ask her what the hell she was doing. He shook his wet hair out like a dog then, spraying water at her before sweeping his hair back out of his face. Then his eyes narrowed playfully.
Kai hadn't taken something light-heartedly for such a long time that he'd almost forgotten the 'play' expression in someone's eyes, but he recognised it now in Pari's and, considering that he was a recently freed slave, he was in an uncharacteristically good mood, the apathy fading into the background as he tilted his head at her.
"Oh?" he questioned at her words, flashing her a fanged grin, "Well, Pari, you're looking a little over-heated too, maybe you could use some cooling off as well." he suggested, flitting forward in an action too fast to be human and letting his arm sweep rather suddenly right across the surface of the fountain, sending a cascade of water towards her. He got a lot of the water on himself as well, but he wasn't too particular about that. She was right, he was hot, and this did cool him down. But then he couldn't keep the laughter in as he crouched easily on the edge of the fountain, one hand still trailing in the water just in case she decided to try and get revenge.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Apr 22, 2009 17:28:27 GMT -5
Pari smiled to Kai innocently as he jumped to his feet, though that playful gleam in her eyes gave her away. "Well, you did say that you were warm, and that was the fastest way to cool you down." She giggled, raising her arms to block the droplets of water that flew out in all directions as he shook. That must be one of his wolfish qualities right there; bless him.
Pari realised what that fanged grin meant as soon as she spotted it, but she just couldn't react quickly enough to get away. She was drenched by the wall of water, squeaking as she hopped to her feet, dripping water all over the sandy ground as she stood up, giggling even more now. "You might as well have pushed me into the fountain." She pouted at him playfully, flicking the water from her fingertips at him.
"You do realise that this is war though, right?" She smirked as she stepped back towards the fountain to dip her arm in and splash him again. She was already soaked, and in this sun she would dry off quickly, so she didn't see the harm in having a little bit of fun.
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Apr 23, 2009 16:19:48 GMT -5
"I could still push you into the fountain, you know." he suggested with a wolfish grin, tilting his head at the mentioning of this being war, yelping as he was splashed again, having the sense to move his face out of the way this time so he wouldn't have to spray water everywhere. He had jumped away from the edge of the fountain now to circle around it, smiling playfully as he watched her through the water. She was right, with the heat they'd definitely dry off quickly enough in the sun, so why not have a little fun with it while they had the time? He got the feeling that they wouldn't have time to do this often once people realised he was missing, so they might as well relax now.
"It's okay, I don't mind war." he grinned at her through the running water, leaping onto the wall around the edge of the fountain and putting his hand into the rush of water as it fell into the pool below them, ears flicking intently to try and hear over the sound of the fountain. He splashed at her once or twice, trying to dart around her in case she decided to get revenge and eventually standing on the other side of the fountain again, as if they had reached a stale-mate.
Eventually he came thundering straight through the thing to get to her, grinning like a maniac and soaking himself in the process, not that he noticed one bit. He ended up becoming a fast, excitable wave of water, spraying the liquid everywhere as he jumped through the fountain on her side, landing softly on the sandy ground and straightening up, shaking his hair out of his face. His tail, though rather damp by now was even wagging playfully, though the half-demon seemed more occupied with shaking the water out of his hair and face, growling adorably as he pushed his hair out of the way. When Kai played, he played.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Apr 23, 2009 17:25:47 GMT -5
"You could push me into the fountain, but are you really that mean?" There was that playful undertone to her voice which told that it wasn't a serious question, Pari pushing her wet hair back from her face to watch as he circled around the fountain away from her. If he really wanted to catch her Pari knew that she had no chance of getting away from him, but this was a game so they could run around and try to splash each other and ignore how much trouble they were in. The penalty for stealing slaves was a high one, generally death but her noble status would probably mean that it would be lowered to something like...life imprisonment? Or maybe even enslaving her. But she was trying not to think about that, she had no intentions of letting them get caught.
Pair dodges away from him as he splashed her and darted around the fountain, giggling and laughing cheerfully. Her attempts at splashing him back all missed, though she did do pretty well at staying on her feet and not tripping herself up, which was an achievement for Pari due to how clumsy she could be. The floor could be completly flat but she had a skill of finding something to trip up over.
"Ahhhh!" She exclaimed as he came splashing through the fountain towads her, just about hacing the chance to raise her arms to try and protect herself before the wall of water washed over her. She was left drenched from head to toe, her hair clinging to her cheeks as she looked up at Kai, reaching back to remove the clips that held her hair up before smirking at him and shaking her head much in the same way as he had to dry her hair.
Once she was done she pushed her hair back from her face and looked to him again, smiling to herself at the little growl and as she noticed his tail wagging. He really was adorable, wasn't he? Nothing like the slave she had seen fighting in the arena. "Ok, ok, I surrender! I think that you win, this time."
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Apr 30, 2009 15:19:31 GMT -5
He had shoved his hair out of his face now to wait for it to dry; it shouldn't take too long considering the sheer heat of the place, but he had definitely cooled himself off, even if just for a few moments. And so much for cleaning his wounds, he may as well have just jumped into the fountain in the first place. "This time?" he challenged with a wolfish grin, shaking the water from his hands and sinking back onto the edge of the fountain again. "Does this mean there's going to be a next time?" he asked, one ear twitching as he spoke, as if there was water in it and he was trying to force it out again. He was silent for a moment or so then, Kai looking thoughtful, and when he glanced back at her most of the playfulness had gone from his gaze.
"What d'you plan on doin' with me now, anyway?" he asked softly, tilting his head at her in curiosity. Surely she couldn't have given much thought to this whole escape process. She said she had been at the arena as a viewer, and she didn't look like any lower-class female... that meant she was wealthy. Did she intend to keep him then? He was honestly confused. Sure, he'd accepted that she'd helped him just because she'd wanted to, but she had to have some idea of what would happen next? Someone would notice he was gone any second now and sound the alarm... and then what?
There was no spring in his step this time when he got up from the fountain to stretch, Kai frowning a little up at the sun and slowly trailing over to the shade of one of the houses around the fountain, glancing about every now and then to try and locate the sources of the sounds he kept hearing... and to keep a sharp ear out for any sounds that could have been coming from the arena. Like heavy footsteps, and the crack of whips, and... and... oh, he was dead when they caught him. If they caught him. He frowned, a calculating look in his eyes. If he was going to die anyway he might as well die running.
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Post by Angel ♥ on May 1, 2009 17:05:19 GMT -5
"Of course there is going to be a next time." She nodded to him and smirked a little, brushing her wet hair back from her face. Bah, in this heat it would dry in tight, unruly curls, but she supposed that didn't really matter right now. "But, I am going to win next time, just so you know." She winked to him and poked her tongue out him, which was quite daring really seeing as Kai was close enough to the fountain to soak her all over again. Eventually, when she had decided that he wasn't going to pull her into the water, Pari moved to sit back down next to him, starting to wring some of the water out of her clothes, her playfull mood seeming to wear of as he remained quiet, a thoughtfulness falling over her instead.
She glanced up at him as he asked what she planned to do now, tilting her head at him. "You are free Kai, you can do whatever you like. You don't have to stay with me if you don't want to." She told him gently. It was true, he was free, and she wouldn't force him to do anythng he didn't want to do. It would be better if he did stay with her though. He wasn't used to freedom yet, and he had a few things to learn to make sure that he could survive out here on his own, if that was what he wanted to do, but Pari had to admit that she had been hoping that he would want to stick around. It would be nice to have a partener in crime, a friend that would be there whatever she planned on doing next. She had been thinking of maybe travelling a little, to explore and help people along the way.
"I have somewhere for us to go tonight though, if you want to stick around. It's at the other side of town, and I know that they wouldn't say anything about you being there. I think that it would be safe for us to stay there for the night, then I have a carriage booked to get us out of town." She explained. Well, she had been planning on helping someone today, and if she hadn't been able to helpanyone she would still have been running away, that was why she had all of this planned out, and enough money with her to last her for at least a month. "But we should buy you new clothes first, and something to eat. No sense in sitting here for any longer. We should get as far awya from the arena as possible."
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on May 22, 2009 17:14:17 GMT -5
"Free." he still didn't quite know how that word felt on his tongue; it was almost as though the word didn't quite exist, and he was still trying to find meaning in it while he brushed his drying hair out of his face, pale skin almost seeming to glow in the shade of the building he was sat against. "I wouldn't know where t'go if I wasn't with you." he admitted with a shrug, closing his eyes and opening his mouth in a yawn that displayed his wolf-like canines, staying quiet for a few moments more. "I think s'best if I do stay with you." he decided eventually with a nod, opening his eyes to look over at her as she spoke again. His pale eyes seemed to be searching for any sign of deception as she told him her plan, but by now he seemed to be catching on that Pari might JUST be sincere in what she was saying. It took a lot of effort, but he decided that he'd have to trust her.
Climbing reluctantly to his feet (it was getting ridiculously hot now, and he wasn't used to moving around this much in the heat), he nodded to her. New clothes, though? He looked down at himself, his bare chest, bare feet and the network of scars and still bleeding wounds. Okay, yes, he did desperately need new clothes. God, Kai had almost forgotten what self respect felt like! She seemed to be awakening some of the old hope in him though, even if it did mean that if that hope was snatched away from him again it would hurt even more than just dying in that hell-hole. And something to eat. Kai didn't eat much... ever... and even though he knew he should, he was used to meager amounts. And eating in the blistering temperature didn't sound inviting. But Pari sounded insistent, maybe he should do as she said.
"Okay." he nodded in agreement, particularly about her comment of getting away from the arena. He seemed to have cheered up just a little, tail lifting slightly and wagging again, but luckily he didn't notice.
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Post by Angel ♥ on May 29, 2009 16:42:08 GMT -5
Pari gave Kai a bright smile as he agreed to go with her, looking rather relieved really. She had half been expecting him to say that he wanted to be on his own, afterall, he had spent the last god knew how many years doing as someone else told him, so it wouldn't have been too much of a surprise for him to want to be on his own and in control of his own life. She was, however, glad that he chose to stay with her, at least for now. She would be able to help him adapt to life outside of the arena, and she had to admit that she was also pretty grateful to have some company. Plus, having someone else around would mean that she was more likely to take better care of herself and not go rushing into some impossible situation to try and help someone.
"Okay then. First things first, clothes. What kind of clothes would you like?" She asked as she rose to her feet, knocking the dust from her clothes before straightening up to look at him, tilting her head to the side. "I'm sure that we can get you something from the market, but while we are here you'll still need to wear the cloak so people can't see your ears, sorry." She gave him an apologetic smile, as if to say that she knew how hot it must be in that cloak, but there was no other way. He'd get caught straight away if he left the alley without his hood up.
With that she turned to head back out of the alley, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure that he was following her. "You should stick close by in the market. It will be busy and loud and busy, and it will be better if we don't lose each other." She added. The market might be a little...overwhealiming for him. There would be so many people, smells and noises, she was sure that he would get distracted, and if they were separated it was more likely that they would get caught.
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jun 10, 2009 16:15:02 GMT -5
He wrinkled his nose at the idea of having to wear his cloak again, casting a disdainful look at the fabric still hung over the edge of the fountain. Hot was an understatement; it would be stifling and uncomfortable and he wouldn't be able to hear well at all (though this could be counted as a good thing if he was going to get as distracted by the new sights and sounds as Pari thought). With this in mind, he reluctantly pulled the cloak back over his shoulders, the cuts he'd obtained from the arena already half healed by now; they'd stopped bleeding in any case. He really did heal quickly, given the chance - Pari cleaning his wounds for him had probably helped a great deal as well, though. Tugging the hood up to conceal his fluffy ears and pale face, he moved to follow after her, bare feet light on the sun-bathed ground so they didn't burn.
"What ones would I like?" he tilted his head at her through the shadows of the cloak to stare at her curiously. You could pick your own clothes? Weird... he merely shrugged at her question as he moved after her. "Which ever ones you think'd be best, I s'pose..." he put in. He didn't know about choice, and about what he 'liked'. He was too used to what he was given. What he wanted never came into it. "But preferably light ones... I can't deal with the heat otherwise." he shook his head. Necessity was different to want.
He did seem rather overwhelmed as they moved from the little side-street back onto the main street, heading swiftly into the market. Almost instantly it was as though the place was full of people, and Kai made certain to stay as close to Pari as he dared, even though he was following her almost on a whim. The peoples' voices, the laughter of children and the calls of merchants... if that wasn't distracting enough then the crackle of food as it cooked and the scent of perfumes and fabrics and all manner of fruits was enough to overthrow his senses completely, and Kai found himself momentarily... blind. Well, blind in the sense that he couldn't really smell anything, and all of the noise had mingled into one humming sound. Oh, this city stuff was going to take a while to get used to.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Jun 10, 2009 16:53:57 GMT -5
Pari made sure to keep a close eye on Kai as they walked, glancing back over her shoulder after couple of steps to make sure that he was still following. It would be easier if she could hold onto his hand, or his wrist, or even his cloak, just to make sure that they didn't get separated in the crowd, but she wasn't sure how he would react to that. She didn't want to upset him and have him run off in the middle of the market. He didn't look very happy though, maybe all of this was too much for him. She should have left him somewhere shady and quiet, but that was too much of a risk. If he'd been caught again she would never forgive herself, and would probably get herself hung trying to save him again.
"Light and probably loose fitting ones, that would help you to keep cool." She nodded to him, speaking loud enough so that he could hear her over the crowd, forgetting about his sensitive hearing. "Would you like sandles, or do you prefer bare feet?" She asked, trying to distract him from everything else and make him focus on what she was asking him. "The only problem with sandles is that you get sand in them all the time, and little stones sometimes, but it makes walking easier when the sand is hot." She continued, glancing back to him to smile briefly before looking ahead again.
It didn't take long to find a clothes stall, Pari swiftly bartering with the store owner to buy Kai the clothes that he would need. She bought him a pair of loose fitting, white linnen trousers and a shirt to match, also loose fitting, with a wide neckline and a embrodiery around the edges in sand coloured thread. It would help him fit in. Pari had the clothes folded over her arm when she turned back to Kai, glancing around at the nearby stalls. "You will have to choose what you want to eat." She told him with a nod of her head. "The cold meats are good, but if you want something more refreshing I would suggest getting a little bit of fruit. Or you could get some cooked meat, but personally I think it's too warm for hot food right now." Well, he would have to get used to making decisions for himself. Pari would, of course, help him along the way, but somethings about being free he would have to work out for himself.
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jun 11, 2009 12:34:09 GMT -5
He visibly winced as she spoke louder to him over the noise; he knew it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help the bustle of the marketplace any more than he could, but it didn't stop the headache. Icy blue eyes flashing with concentration under the shadows of the cloak, he strained to separate her voice from that of the rest of the people, and eventually some sense filtered through to him. He nodded in agreement right up until the mentioning of sandals, when he wrinkled his nose up in what could very well have passed as disgust. "Sand. No thanks." he muttered and shook his head. If there was anything he disliked more about the Xyndi Empire than the heat, it would definitely be the abundance of sand. It got everywhere, and scorched your feet and itched and BLEH.
Kai lingered next to her when they reached the clothes stall, seeming curious to say the least at all of the different fabrics. He was beginning to be able to block out some of the background noise by now, at least, but he doubted he'd have been able to do it without the help of the cloak to cover his ears. It was stifling and hot in there, yeah, but the cloak did have its advantages, at least. The half demon was silent while she bartered for his clothes, letting his eyes drift over the marketplace again as if he was all too eager to soak up as many of the different sights as he could, just in case this all went horribly wrong and he was sent back to the arena. Though it didn't take long before he started to feel the heat from the sun again, and he gave a wide, fanged yawn.
"Mm...?" he gazed down at her as she spoke again, trying to catch up with the conversation he'd missed. He still thought he was probably concussed from the fight in the arena... that would explain his lack of attention at least. Or he might just be distractable because he was free. "Food?" he murmured, following her gaze around to the other stalls, and naturally the one with the brightest colours managed to catch his eye. "If you're gonna make me eat, it may as well be interestin'." he smirked and nodded to the fruit stall, waiting to follow her over to it; he didn't want to lose her for fear that his hearing wouldn't be good enough right now to find her again.
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