Zazu

[lionhearrt]

Who: Mikoto + OPEN
When: October 9th
Where: Around the NearShore
What: The King is awake

[ Early in the morning, gold eyes open to the light of day after a long sojourn. The red aura no longer burns and the white no longer sedates. The covers slide off him as he rises, sitting up to run a hand down his mane. He yawns, showing a row of sharp teeth as an unfamiliar chirp breaks the silence dragging Suoh's eyes up. ]

.... what are you doing here.


i. Drifting

[ Late into the morning Suoh stands at the docks, hands in his pockets and a cigarette tucked between his lips. He hasn’t contacted anyone since he awoke nor does he plan too. Instead, he finds comfort in the silence, the red aura eerily silent after being subjected to the cleansing fire that put him to sleep in the first place. ]

How long are you going to stay out there?

[ He drawls, breaking the silence. Though whether he’s talking to you or to the small bird that suddenly chirps in response while flying around him looking like some kind of annoying mosquito is anyone’s guess. ]


ii. Warm Waters

Calm down. 

[ The lazy voice can be heard amid the rustling of the trees. It’s late into the evening and Suoh is sitting on the edge of a fountain. He's slouched forward, propping his elbow on his knees while smoke rises from his cigarette. The evening is chilly, yet there’s a few finches frolicking in the tumbling waters as if it’s a summer’s eve. If someone is inclined to the supernatural they might see a circle of red encompassing the man and the fountain. The red doesn't burn but is rather warm to the touch, keeping the waters a comfortable temperature for the birds while the King lazes around, smoking his cigarette in relative peace. ]


iii. The Bar

[ The night draws to an end, leaving Suoh in a local bar sipping a drink. Besides him are a bunch of cracked peanuts and a small finch that pecks at them endlessly trying to eat them while the King ignores its efforts. ]

Comments

ii

[revolutionfalcon]

[Despite the lateness of the hour, that's the kind of time Shun's generally out on patrol anyway. It does strike him as a little odd to hear the activity of birds this late on an autumn evening - it's not really warm nor light enough for it not to be a little suspect, so Shun figures he might as well check it out to make sure it's not more bird-shaped ayakashi instead.

But they certainly look enough like real birds when he approaches the fountain, and the person sitting on the other side of it explains that particular oddity. With a slight sigh, Shun flicks a finger against the surface of the water, decidedly unsurprised when it's warm.]

So you're keeping birds nearby instead of people now, then. [Not that Shun can really judge, considering sometimes he likes birds better than people, but it's probably not ideal in the current situation.]

[lionhearrt]

[ Smoke drifts up, the man not bothering to look up amid the greeting. ]

I don't keep pets.

[ A statement. Fact. Nothing more as he speaks through the cigarette. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

I didn't call them pets. But they're hanging around you and you're keeping the water warm for them. [So it's pretty obvious Mikoto at least gives enough damns to make them want to hang around. Shun wouldn't call his own birds pets, but that doesn't mean they don't matter.]

And considering what you were like when I last saw you, it's notable enough that you're just doing that. [Instead of burning up.]

[lionhearrt]

[ He raises his hand to take a hold of the cigarette and taps off the ash. ]

It's too early for dinner.

[ So, the water will stay a steady temperature until it's time to boil them. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

[That sounds so unlikely that Shun can't even attempt to take it at face value, just giving a faint and obviously disbelieving snort.]

Considering how little meat a finch would have on it, you'd be lucky to get a snack out of that. Assuming they were stupid enough to stay.

[Finches aren't exactly the brightest bulbs, but survival instinct exists.]

[lionhearrt]

[ He snorts, shoulders barely moving in amusement as his lips pull up at the image. ]

Can't say they're all that bright.

[ He shrugs. ]

A snacks good enough.

[ Who knows, he could eat them. That's the point. One day, he might just go out of control and burn them all. That's why you're here right? Why you even bother? He finds that amusing too. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

Bright or not, most wild animals have some kind of survival instinct. And birds take off at the slightest provocation. [There's something familiar about the way Shun says that, though as usual, it's not an emotion he's letting on too strongly. Either way, it's pretty clear he's not taking Mikoto's snacking remarks as anything more than a somewhat dark joke.]

Besides, you've been more prone to cooking yourself lately anyway. I was surprised to see you in halfway decent shape at all.

[lionhearrt]

[ Who knows. Even he doesn't know if it's a joke or not. ]

I'm not the one cooking. That would be our resident Oshun.

[ He gave up ignoring the dishes that suddenly appeared at the bar after a while. ]

II.

[sing_for_me]

[Alex had been out since this morning, trying to find her shinki ever since that pendant crashed at the front of the temple. The moment it did, she had felt their connection disappear. She wasn't sure what happened, whether something had happened to him or not, but she tried to avoid thinking of the worst.

That’s why the familiar peeps and beeps caught her attention, and immediately she hurried over to the source. The finches liked to hang around and bother Temeraire, much to his chagrin. Maybe they had followed him out here.]

Tem--!

[She slows to a stop a short distance from the fountain when she hears a different voice speak up. Of course, Alex was always on the look out for Mikoto, and with waiting for Caster to 'come back from the dead', she wanted to find that god as well, but this time around she was hoping to find her dragon.]

Mikoto..

[Her eyes glance over at the finches playing at fountain, then to the other side as she tried to catch her breath. No sign of him.]

Have..have you seen Tem..?

[lionhearrt]

[ A glance her way, catching sight of her state. ]

... No.

[ A short reply as gold eyes stay on her.]

[sing_for_me]

Oh..o..okay...

[Her shoulders slump, a sigh escaping her. She had probably checked most of the near shore already. Maybe she should try the far shore this time. Maybe he was exploring the city, or encountered an ayakashi and got hurt—though she would have sensed if he was in distress. As her thoughts raced through her head, her thumb scratched at the palm of her other hand between twisting within her hold.

Alex catches herself and stops for a moment, looking back at Mikoto to check on him. There weren’t any signs of those burns from last time, nor was he healing himself.]

You..feeling better?

[lionhearrt]

[ Gold eyes stay on her, catching the twisting motion and remembering how she'd been last time she was acting like this. ]

That's my line.

[sing_for_me]

[She starts to fidget with her hands again, this time tugging at her fingers. He did say before to ask for help, but did this count?]

..I can't..feel him anymore.

[The mood was solemn, contrasting the playful chirps of the finches as they splashed around in the water. In a way it helped, and she was glad they were okay too. It was strange when she didn't hear them earlier this morning.]

[lionhearrt]

[ The words dig into a wound he doesn't want to re-open, but he knows what that means. The only way she didn't feel him was if he-- Suoh takes out the cigarette, flicking into the air, watching it disintegrate into nothing in a flash of red. ]

Since when.

[sing_for_me]

This morning..When I stepped out, this giant pendant suddenly came down...[Left a small crater too. It was a good thing she wasn't right under that spot...] It looked like it'd be Tem's, but just like that I couldn't..sense him anymore.

[It wasn't abrupt, but almost subtle. Like a part of her just slipping through her fingers before she could do anything about it, leaving an empty void behind. It was why she didn't think something bad had happened. Surely it wouldn't have felt so peaceful.

Plus, the same thing had happened with Mikoto, but Izumo still returned.]

[lionhearrt]

[ His eyes flick to her but he makes no comment, letting her finish as his gaze shifts back to the trees up ahead, his thoughts seemingly drifting while she talks. It isn't until she's done and the silence starts to linger that he finally speaks. ]

What do you plan on doing?

I.

[redstray]

[ Eric was taking Shibau out for one of his long walks, one that went nowhere in particular, wherever Eric or the pup wanted to go. This time, it was near the water.

He blinked as he spotted someone out on the docks. It wasn't uncommon so he was going to leave it be until he spotted a familiar mess of red hair and jacket. Oh...

He wandered over, Shibau happily following beside him as they neared the docks. He wondered if he should say hello...they were on friendly terms now...right?

He jumps when he hears him talking, ah had he waited that long to say something. Eric fiddled with one of his sleeves. ]

S-sorry, didn't know if you wanted to be bothered.

[lionhearrt]

Hm?

[ Mikoto turns away from the finch fluttering around him, and turns gold eyes on a familiar face. ]

....

[ He hadn't expected anyone out here, let alone of his clansmen... ]

You don't need to apologize.

[ He's just going to put that out there right now. ]

[redstray]

Ah...right...

[ He shuffles a bit on his feet, not expecting that from Mikoto of all people. But, before he had a chance to say something Shibau barked, walking over to maybe try and catch one of those birds. But, Eric was quick, holding the leash tight. ]

Shibau, leave it.

[ The dogs ears perk up and he turns to look at Eric, his tail wagging before he trots happily back to Eric. He smiles a bit while he pats the dogs head. He looks back to Mikoto. ]

What are you doing here?

[lionhearrt]

[ His eyes fall to the dog, a curious look in his eye. ]

Taking a walk.

[ He's always taking a walk, but this time he's not alone because that small bird from before keeps on fluttering near him and chirping annoyingly as if wanting attention before promptly landing in his hair and nestling into the red locks, a fact that Mikoto barely registers. ]

He yours?

[ The dog. ]

[redstray]

[ When Shibau notices Mikoto looking at him, he wags his tail.

Eric tilts his head at the response. Well, at least he's outside, right? But at the question he nods, looking down at his dog. ]

Yeah. I found him awhile back abandoned...so I picked him up. His name is Shibau.

[ The dog quickly walks over, sniffing Mikoto's feet and legs. He looks up, wagging his tail.

Eric looks back at Mikoto, pointing to the bird on his head. ]

Turning into Snow White?

[lionhearrt]

[ Found him abandoned...

He gives a solid nod at the information and watches as the dog comes up to him fully expecting him to come to heel or run away as usual, but when it wags its tail Mikoto raises a brow at the fearless display. The look stays for only a moment before he's looking up brows creased at the question. Snow White? He has no clue what he's talking about. ]

... ?

[redstray]

Uhm...like that princess, I think. She talked to animals? Had them all around her, maybe?

[ He trails off, because maybe that wasn't the right one, or he got it wrong all together. It was stupid anyways. ]

I don't know, sorry...

1/2

[lionhearrt]

The one with the dwarves?

[ Because that's honestly the one thing he remembers about that. And the apple. Totsuka gave him an apple after they watched it back when they were still in school. ]

2/2

[lionhearrt]

You think I'm a Princess?

[ He says that with a straight face, seemingly unbothered by the comparison. ]