Grave Melody

[Rhayeqasr]

Lonliness was something Kaeji'maye was accustomed to, for her was a castless Puppeteer, and Insanity Puppeteer, at that. Not too many Euclide take to the Insanity Types too awfully well. But he had everlasting company, Rayike and Sasebyn, his two loyal friends. Though they were not actually alive, more just figments of his crazed mind, Rayike and Sasebyn's voices often ring throughout his thoughts.

The Insanity sighed deeply, making a screach as the exhale passed through his beak. His stomach slightly growled, and he rustled his feathers and adjusted his wings. From were he rested, perched on a large gravestone, he could see bats flying high overhead. He would not dream of harming a bat, for Sasebyn often takes to form of a bat, and he would do nothing to offend her. Instead he closed his eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze as it blew his feathers about.

He hummed a soft out-of-tune song, making the notes up as he went along. It was a grave depressing song, fitting for his current location. The melody had a whistle's hint, for his lisp made speech rather difficult.

"No, no, I can wait," He said, but who was he talking to? No one was in his company. "I know that, but humans are gone at this time of night." He seemed slightly annoyed and impatient, for he wanted to return to his music. "Alright, I'll do that later." Just as he finished speaking to Rayike, a twig broke in the distance, was someone watching him? He chuckled lightly, he could enjoy a little more company.

[Mistay]

Larkaeniba silently berated herself. Only an amateur would allow themselves to be heard before they wished it to be so. And she was a poisen, of all things! He had been so wrapped up in himself, he had not even heard her graceful descent from the air. She had perfected the landing, only feet away from his perch, and then the twig snapped under her taloned claw. Clicking to herself, she decided she might as well reveal herself now, as he would most likely see her sooner or later. She stepped in front of his gravestone slowly, so as not to startle him. She allowed her wing-feathers to fluff ever so slightly, showing him their intricate markings.

"Entertaining company, are we?"

She inquired, a thin veil of sarcasm lacing the layers of her voice. Most never picked up on it, such a master she was. She was hopeful that this one wouldn't either. She didn't doubt herself, as this was an Insanity type, after all.

[Rhayeqasr]

He stared at her for a good amount of time. Was this sarcasm? He listened to his voices, both suggestioning rational ways to react, but he had a way of his own. Before him stood was the only other Avian he had heard about, and she was something of amazement, he may even use the word 'beautiful.' He smiled, though the expression was hardly a smile through his beak. He decided to completely ignore her question. "Kaeji'maye, though most call me Kaeji," he decided to leave is rank untouched, for he didn't find it necessary, and she had obviously guessed his type. "Yourself?" he asked through a grin.

He dismounted his perch, and silently admired the Poison's colors, he was, afterall, a fan of the markings of Poison. As for there personalities, he had nothing to base an opinion on, for she was the first Poison he's had the pleasure of meeting. He circled the Avain, nodding with approval, and waited for her to do the same. He wanted to know a lot more than her name, though that is where his questions started. Perhaps he could ask another, and let her answer both? "And, what may I ask, are you doing out so late, in a graveyard of all places?" She could, of coarse, turn the question on him, but he doubted she would, after all, he was of the Insanity Type, he needed few reasons for his actions. He smiled, determined to make a good impression on the Poison, but did not appear to be trying hard to impress her at all, he'd grown good at such a task.

[Mistay]

Lark immediately picked up on his interest. She had known of him, of course, being the only other Avian thus far, and had expected as much. Though it intrigued her that he left his rank unsaid. Most were proud of their title, unless they were a Puppet, of course. Was he a Puppet? Surely not. His name held the distinct quality of hers...maybe a Puppeteer, then?

"A beautiful name for a beautiful creature. I am Larkaeniba."

She replied, her tone much different this time. Now it held a tantalizing hint of seduction. Not much, but just enough for someone listening hard enough to pick up on. Which she could only assume he was doing. She remained motionless, for all the world a beautiful statue, as he circled her. She felt his gaze roam over her avian body, and saw his nod of approval. This one would be an easy target. But what approach should she take? High and mighty, or charming and seductive. She most prefered the latter.

"Oh, nothing you'd care to know about, my dear Kaeji."

Sh responded coyly, fluffing out her silky feathers a tad more, showcasing them at their best. She had fed not moments before on an unsuspecting human child, and the afterglow was not dissimilar to that which one gets after a redevous with a significant other.

[Rhayeqasr]

Kaeji accepted her compliment with a smile, and simply eyed her. Was it possible that she was flirting, for he sensed a slight seductive tone in her voice. The Insanity mouthed the name she had given him, in was, without a doubt a beautiful name, and he felt the need to compliment her as she did him, "And that is a lovely name for such a precious Avain." He admired her one last time and once again mounted the stone on which he previously perched. He tried to be as charming as possible, ignoring the voices that told him to do otherwise.

She had left her rank unsaid as well, but by her name he guessed that she was a puppeteer, or a scriptwriter. Was she in a cast? Oh, perhaps she would have said more if he had done the same. Rayike reminded him that ranks were the last of his worries.

He was certain that her where abouts would interest him, but he did not press the question. He could taste human blood on her breath, she must have been hunting. His senses were sharper than he gave them credit for. "Please, tell me about yourself, Larkaeniba," He smiled when saying her name, it had a ring to it, and he liked it. "Please, continue to be a mystery no longer," He was genuinly curious about her, fasinated to say the least. He knew that they would have little in common, aside from their breed, and possibly rank, nothing else came to mind. But, they do say that opposites attract.

[Mistay]

Lark ducked her feathered head, appearing for all the world to be an embarrassed, flattered creature. She was neither of course, but being Poisen does have it's perks. She clicked her beak together in acknowledgement of his compliment, and returned his probing gaze with one of her own.

She decided to stay on the ground when he mounted the gravestone, to appear even more "below" him. Males usually preferred their females to be submissive. Or at the very least, below them in rank. She suspected that he had the intelligence to discover hers as she had his, so the least she could do would be to appear below him.

"Ah, but sometimes mysteries are mysteries for a reason."

Her reply came out more as a coo than anything, soft and inviting.

"Nonetheless, I feel I can relate to you more than any other. I am not in an official cast yet, but I pray it will be soon. Laekubi only needs a director and a script writer, and we shall be complete. Do you know of her?"

She inquired, innocently enough, lacing undertones o flattery into her reply. She had smoothed the usual sarcasm out of her voice, which was now buttery and flirtatious. She was actually appalled to be acting in such a way. It was too easy to charm him, there was no challenge. He would know, then, that she wasn't actually in a cast, and therefore could be persuaded to join another. If he had a cast, that is.

"And what of you, Kauji'mae, open yourself to me..."

She placed a gentle emphasis on his name, rolling it around in her mouth. He could take that particular comment any way he liked.

[Rhayeqasr]

Kaeji's grinned died, his question turned on him, something he usually doesn't enjoy happening. For now, he would ignore this.

"I do not know of her, I know of few Euclide, those in my Theatre and, of coarse, you." His lisp grew stronger slightly, though it did not make him sound childish, in fact, it made him sound wise somehow. "There are several Script Writers around, there are even a few in my Theatre, though I have yet to meet a Director," He wasn't sure why he decided to say this, perhaps it would help her and her cast-to-be.

He began to grow unsure of how true she is being with him. Sasebyn warned him of her type, her sarcasm, and her charm. She questioned whether or not she was using Kaeji. Though, the Insanity was reluctant to listen to her.

[Mistay]

She silently berated herself. Perhaps not as soft as putty as she first thought. He was wiser than she had estimated. She would have to tread more carefully now. She bowed her head and allowed a troubled sigh to whistle from between her sharp beak.

"Ahh, well. I suppose it won't be long. You said you had a Theatre, but no cast? So you are...alone...so to speak? As with me?"

She replied smoothly, charmingly. He was rather handsome, after all. Even if he was Insane. And she did sort of feel alone somehow, being one of only two avians. No one could possibly understand you more than your own breed, right?

[Rhayeqasr]

"Well, yes. I live in a theatre back at my realm. Currently, there is no Cast in the theatre, just a few Euclide." He wondered why there was no Cast reining in the Theatre... oh, yes, there was no Puppet Master. He wondered if he should continue with what he has to say. Could he really share his thoughts and emotions with her, would she even care? "I don't have plans on joining a cast. I know that no Puppet Master would want me, and Insanity, to take apart in their Cast." To himself, he didn't seem insane. He was normal. Granted, he was as dumb as a box of rocks, he had Sasebyn and Rayike. They both were incredibly brilliant.

He always broke under authority. He couldn't stand it, what's so special about Puppet Masters, besides their intence violence and vainity? And he liked no one to tell him what to do, his voices were the only exceptions... thus far.

((thought I'd clear this up really quick, Kaeji is very intellegent. Sasebyn and Rayike are voices within his head, which are basically himself, though he thinks they are other people... if that makes sense))

[Mistay]

Lark felt a very strange emotion well up inside her. Pity? No, she'd felt that many times before. It was something else. Empathy? Surely not! And yet, it seemed that could be the only logical explination. It was shameful, really, that a capable-of-betraying-you-in-an-instant Poisen avian could possibly be feeling something other than cold.

"Any Puppet Master that refused you would be stupid, indeed. You have many talents to offer. Even I can see that, though I have only known you for a short while. If they begrudge you entrance, who's to say they wouldn't do the same to me? As a Poisen, I am never trusted, and what Puppet Master wants to be constantly watching their back? Any type has it's flaws, flaws that could potentially be seen as unacceptable. Yours aren't any different than anyone else's."

The Poisen Avian surprised herself. She wasn't entirely sure if she was doing this for fun, pure amusement and a way to hone her skills, or because she meant it. She'd never had a problem stabbing anyone in the back before. And yet, she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to do that to this beautiful stranger. And that made her angry. Was she losing her touch? Who was she if she wasn't herself? It was a very strange thought.

[Rhayeqasr]

He had never thought about this. Sure he may be insane, but every other type has their flaws, she was right. "Thank you..." he whispered through his beak, though he wasn't sure why. She had said something that made him feel more... normal. Rayike like her... therefore Kaeji smiled at her, she had captured the more sensitive side of him... but Sasebyn still had her doubts.

"If that is true, than why do Euclide form casts? If no one could be trusted, loved, or managed, why doesn't everyone live by themselves?" Sasebyn had brought this topic up long ago. She prefered living alone, but Rayike longed for company. Kaeji was split between the two.

He may be Insane, but he understands a lot of things. His hallucinations and voices didn't make him any less useful. He wondered, silently, if he could trust her. He did not sense any more sarcasm, and she seemed to be slightly... genuine.

[Mistay]

Lark was completely taken aback by his reaction. Thank you? Never had she heard those words spoken without that thing veil of sarcasm, without some undertone of rudeness. Downy head dipped, lowering her beak almost to the ground. She couldn't quite bring herself to say you're welcome yet.

But it was his next comment, spoken the way only someone who truly doubted themselves could speak, that jerked her head back up again. Her wing feathers ruffled, head tilted to the sky, as if the moon could give her an answer.

"Your point is true. However, I think we form Casts because regardless of our natures, we are beings that require contact with others. We need guidance. We need to know that we have somewhere definitative to go. If everyone lived by themselves, think of the trouble that would cause! And so we ally ourselves." She replied, tone layered with echoes of passion.

Why was she doing this? He was an Insane, for pity's sake! Never worthy of a Poisen's glance, unless you were talking about Kujon. And even then, she only respected him because he was a Puppet Master. Maybe it was because this being was so similar to her. If not in personality, then in appearance.

[Rhayeqasr]

He cocked his head, it made plenty of sense. Though, he knew that he didn't need anyone, he was perfectly happy on his own. Although he has something few Euclide do, when he is own his own, he has his voices, the voices in which he will remain loyal.

The only two Avian Euclide differed in many ways, but them seemed to, so far, be getting along just fine. She did not seem to be as sarcastic since they had started their conversation, and what's more, Kaeji had not once hallucinated, how strange?

"You bring up a good point. I suppose I am so used to my lonliness that I have forgotten the reasons to be in the company of others," this was, after all, the only explaination. He had not hallucinated because of her, she kept his mind occupied, so he did not need to resort to false dreams to keep himself amused. There was no doubt that he was insane, he most certainly wasn't mentally sound, but her company seemed to calm his Insanity.

[Mistay]

The Poisen narrowed her pupiless eyes slowly, thoughtfully. And again that swell of unidentifiable emotion threatened to break over her wall of coldness, her mask of indifference. Lonliness was something she knew well, though she brought it upon herself. When you betray everyone you meet and leave them to die, you become hard pressed to find someone who will willingly shre your company. But wasn't that what Poisen's are suppossed to do? She clicked her beak in annoyance. She hated being confused, it was an alien feeling to her.

"Yes, I see. But surely you crave the company of others? Because it takes a strong Euclide indeed to be happy with solitude."

[Rhayeqasr]

The clicking of her beak startled him slightly. He cocked his head, she seemed annoyed, but at what? Certainly he had done nothing to annoy her?

"Ah, but I am never completely..." No, this was not wise. Telling her of his mental voices would only make her think he was above and beyond Insanity! "Er, I can live with the company of only myself" It was a quick recovery, but was it needed? She knew he was insane, but she knew not of his voices.

Oh, what misery Insanity brought. But, he had to remind himself that every Type carries a burden. Rayike had told him this many times, oh was he thankful for the kindness and wisedom of Rayike! If only he were aware that Rayike was only a figment of his imagination! What would he do then?

"Lonliness only seems painful when you have such fine company, as yourself." His eyes softened, oh how beautiful she was!