Once Upon an Ending

[iprince]

This was it. Hundreds of years spent searching, a vain attempt at running around in circles, always too many steps behind his quarry to ever have the chance at catching up to him. And this was it. He'd made it. His cousin was in this town somewhere.

Kaemonji padded cautiously through the city square, gold rings clicking off the sand-hued cobblestones, and regal head held low. It was night, and a sky as black as tar hung over him, not a star or sliver of moonlight to be found. He was a silver specter against the shadowed walls and streets. An invisible hunter, like a ghost, stalking the streets for a single prey, mind bent on one thing. He wanted to find his cousin. Even if his childhood hero-worship of the feline had simmered over the centuries, he had no intention of abandoning his quest. Not when he'd spent so long trying to track him down. Not when he was so close to accomplishing his goal.

Silent as he was, it was not hard to pick up the sound of footfalls, not to far from where he was. Kaemonji froze and slid back against the shadows of a crooked building, the silky tuft of his tail flicking back in forth in aggitation. Perhaps it would've been easier to stalk the streets as a human, but he had no clothing, and no prey to steal it from. A naked man walking about at night, with nothing on him but golden trinkets, would not fair well amongst the crooks and predators of the night. Not all of which were human.

A note of caution would be wise this late at night. It was always evening when the other Euclides came out to play, and after so many years without their companionship, Kaemonji wasn't sure he wanted to run into one. Unless, of course, it was his precious cousin, but the likelihood of running into that beast so quickly into finding this town was as slim as a thread of silk. No, he'd wait in the shadows, get himself acquainted to the pretty town, then ask around for him. If he surely was here, his presence would not be a secret. His cousin would not allow for that.

The footsteps grew louder, inching closer to Kaemonji's shade amid the shadows. The feline's muscles tensed, silvery-white eyes narrowed with dangerous intent. Perhaps, if this was some foolish human, he'd finally acquire the clothing he desired. It would be so much easier, after all. But Kaemonji's luck had never been good.

((And for anyone who's curious, his page: www.geocities.com/memenangerie/menange/group/euclides/EU_Puppeteer3 ))

[ferabird]

Deceptive little creature that she was, the disturbling had no intention of misleading the larger Euclides. She was a troublesome little thing, having escaped her keeper yet again in foolish persuit of... something. What she was after even the near-mindless little construct wasn't sure of, but she was going this way! How though did she manage to emulate the steps of a larger being? The leonine would soon discover as she bypassed the corner that she was leaping from bootprint to bootprint, landing simultaneously upon all four of her little paws. Leafy ankle decorations whipped about with each of her jumps, the careless little creature churring and chirruping quietly to herself as she went.

Well...... that was decidedly odd, wasn't it?

[Vyn]

Under the cloud-choked twilight sky, Amano was just another ghost drifting along the cobblestone road. He was well accustomed to these shadows, the pressing force of utter darkness broken only by puddles of lamplight dotted here and there. This setting was common to Amano, the same old reality that he was always passing through, but for once his mind wasn't stuck on some sort of business or another.

Amano was no Puppet Master, nor did he have a Cast to busy himself with, but he loved being the top 'cat', the one who pulled all the strings. He would've made a good Puppet Master, but instead he preoccupied his time by toying with the mind's of humans. In fact, Amano was currently garbed as a human...even if he wasn't 'on the job'.

His lean form was obviously powerful, but not overly so, and dressed in gentleman's clothing with his long silver-white hair tied back to keep it out of his pale face. He made a rather convincing human, save for the exotic blue tribal designs which Amano had 'tattooed' over his pale features. Yet, even then, his mysterious aura and strange tattoos seemed to draw more to him than fright them away.

The sudden approach of soft footsteps abruptly brought Amano to a halt in mid-step. Slowly he relaxed his tense frame and pressed back into the shadows. A pale hand, the only visible piece of him relatively untouched by those beautiful blue designs, tucked into his coat and rested lightly upon the butt of his pistol. It was a humanoid gesture, one he didn't put much care or notice in, but which assisted his facade immensely.

The steps were coming closer, following the wide spaced movement of a larger beast...and yet the sound was off balanced by the weight beneath the step. Amano's eyes narrowed, his head tilted back to watch the approach of whatever beast might be there until finally the little Disturbling bound into view. Growling to himself, Amano clutched the pistol beneath his coat, longing to shoot the rotten pet for startling him so.

Forcing himself to relax, the Figment Puppeteer pressed back onto the sidewalk and returned to his previous path. Yet, with each step, Amano was gaining a growing sense of unease. Someone else was nearby, but where? The male slowed his pace to a casual walk, casting his pale eyes over the shadow-coated scenery as he attempted to seek out whomever was watching him from the shadows.

[ferabird]

For no discernable reason, the patchworked little creature decides to follow the man.... regardless of his subdued growl. Oh, but he would be great fun to chase about! Besides, the spoiled creature knew that once spotted, her mistress would be forced to do away with whomever had discovered her. And that meant food!

Shrill little barks sound from the petal-decked beastie, likely mistaken by the masses for some child's run-off pup. After all, it was a tad difficult to see the stitching from a distance. Trotting self-righteously after the tattoo'd man, she'll only fall silent again if pampered with a bit of attention. After all, she was the prize of the collection her mistress kept! She deserved to be petted and cooed at!

( Crummy postage!)

[iprince]

Muscles bunching together liked tightly coiled springs, Kaemonji lowered himself to the ground, claws tapping against the cobblestone. The shadow crept closer. Whatever it was, it would find itself sorry it had ever crossed this feline's path. Kaemonji was in need of a good meal, as well as proper attire for roaming the streets.

But the little di that skipped about the corner of the building, dressed like a pampered pet poodle, would give him neither.

Kaemon let out an exasperated sigh, barely a whisper of a breath, but echoed and illuminated by the nighttime silence. His forelegs fell limp and he leaned back lazily, glaring out at the foolish little creature. Horrid little thing had nearly gotten itself torn to shreds. The feline snorted, dropped back down to all fours, and continued his creeping slink along side the rough brick walls.

The soft rustle of cloth caused him to pause suddenly once again. He lifted his head, blank eyes narrowed and searching. So there was something, someone, else out there. He'd have none of that. There, as if materializing from the shadows themselves, appeared a humanoid figure. An impressive one. An exotic one. Kaemon's lips curled back, a silent semblance of a snarl, before he too slunk out of his hiding place and into the weak light. He had always had a weakness for the exotic, and this one, although clad like a human, was certainly nothing of the sort.

No human could smell that much like Euclide and still breath freely.

Kaemonji himself ached to shift into his human form, but he would wait. In seconds, the smooth motion of realigning bones allowed him to take his anthromorphic form. It was something, at least. Stretching to his full height he leaned back against the wall, curling long, clawed, fingers around the twisted gold jewel of his necklace.

"Hello,"he greeted, after a moments pause in attempt to remember his English. Even then, the word was thickly coated with an Arabic accent, and an underlying hiss, but not one that spoke of aggression. Perhaps, if this exotic young man was not of an overly pompous nature, he could direct him toward his cousin. Surely if he was living here, he'd have himself known throughout the city by now.

"I am foreign,"as if it wasn't obvious by his accent,"Do you know of a Jiaro? I am looking for him."

For a moment his gaze was cast downward, catching sight of the little spotted di scurrying after his exotic stranger. An amused smirk curled the corners of his lips.

[ferabird]

Fille is if anything an indecisive little lap-pet... and thusly with the foreign being speaking up, her remarkably short attention span is diverted! Energetically she clamors towards the dark-maned euclides, a series of yaps soon devovling into chirrups of glee. The not-humans aways petted her, after all! Suddenly the very picture of affection, the speckled little mockery of life begins happily to twine about the leonine's ankles.

[Vyn]

Amano removed his hand form his pistol, shoving his hands into his pockets in a further attempt to control himself. He would not shoot this yapping, pampered Disturblings. He would not. After all, Amano was not in the habit of shooting people's pets...no matter how obnoxious or noisy they might be.


Movement caught the corner of his eye, at last revealing to him what he'd been looking for: a lion anthro masked in the shadows. His quiet stalker? Well, he was far more interesting than the obnoxious Disturbling.

"Hello." His accent was a hard one to determine, but it danced so finely with the charming accents of the English that it was hard to determine the other origins below it. He'd come from across the sea, from a frigid town in Alaska, so many years ago that he barely remembered that winter world. Of all the things he'd left behind in that town, he'd brought the language with him and was still fluent in the words of the natives.

Fascination was flickering in his eyes, traveling over the pale Lion before him. Arabic, with a slight hiss to voice. Amano's eyes fell upon the various serpentine accessories and he lifted a musing brow. A connection to serpents, perhaps? The Figment didn't bother to ask. Instead, he focused on the final comment from the stranger before him.

"Jiarokumo?" He questioned lowly. What sort of Euclides would be seeking the company of that sadistic beast? Not one that Amano would usually associate himself with, but his interest was hooked and there was very little chance of him escaping it. "Yes, I know of him, though I have never directly associated with him."

Amano scanned the stranger with wary eyes, uncertain as to whether he should be trusting him or not, but then slowly twisted and pointed in the direction of the graveyard, glancing back to the lion once he had.

"He has a theatre near the graveyard. Its near impossible to miss." Jiaro liked to make a name for himself, liked to make sure he was well known and well feared. His grand Theatre was just another expression of this, especially with the massive clock tower it sported as well. Slowly Amano turned back to fully face the stranger, offering a short bow in greeting. "I am Amano'kaeja, by the way. Amano for short. And yourself?"

Amano didn't bother offering his type nor rank, both were rather obvious at the time being. The 'kae' in his name displayed rank, and his current form flaunted his type: figment. That's all this human form was, an elaborate illusion. One which would revert in mere hours.


He was, of course, ardently ignoring the Disturbling; partially for the sake of his sanity, and partially for the foolish creature's own well-being.

[iprince]

A graveyard. Kaemonji resisted the urge to shake his head in amusement. Such a thing Jiaro would do, anything to invoke fear on those who crossed his path. Kaemonji had viewed such activities first hand, ever since he, and Jiaro, were strong enough to walk. But his information had now been confirmed, Jiaro -was- in this English town. With directions to his Theater it would take Kaemon little time to track down his cousin. To see him again, finally, after so many years of searching.

Extracting himself from his thoughts, Kaemon bowed in turn, dipping his head low in respect, "I thank you for helping. It is good." Oh, how he wished he could remember his English properly. It had never been his strong suit. Hopefully he was fairing decently, it would do no good for his first meeting in Jiaro's new homeland to be one of embarrassment.

A moment later, and the Figment's previous words processed in his mind. Yes, I know of him. Kaemonji cocked his head slightly, taking a few steps closer to the stranger, "You know Jiaro? Would he be home now?" Kaemon was ever so anxious to be reunited with Jiaro, but this stranger seemed to want to chat.

Ah well, it would do him no harm to attempt to make a few acquaintances. If he could wait this long to speak with Jiaro, a few minutes more wouldn't hurt.

"Amano'kaeja,"the word fell like silk from his lips. A pretty name, indeed. And most certainly one that belonged to a Euclides. A puppeteer as well. Good, quite good. They were on equal ground then. "My name is Kaemonji, Kaemon for short. I am..."he paused, searching for the English terms for 'sin' and 'prayer'. They didn't come.

"...a mix,"he finished finally, sliding a graceful hand-paw over his brow, removing the dark mane from his face to reveal the black cross etched between his eyes. That would give the Figment at least a little help as to his type.

"I am from many places, not England. My speaking is not good, I am sorry,"his fingers fell back down to his necklace, curling around the ruby-faced serpent like a constrictor's coils,"Would you show me where graveyard is? I wish to see Jiaro." Would it be safe to mention he shared Jiaro's blood? Was his name exalted like a god, in this town, of feared like a merciless warlord? Would he be praised, or shunned, for being the mighty Puppet Master's family?

After a moments hesitation, easily masked as an attempt to find alien words, he added, "I am...uncle's son? Is that, what is the word, cousin?"

Once again the little di managed to distract him with her playful yips, and friendly nuzzles as she slipped around his feet. He reached down to give her a light pat, stroking the soft, felt-like material of her head, "It seems we have a little friend."

[ferabird]

'Chirrrrrrr!'
She thrives on the attention, writhing in pleasure at being humored and pet. Delicate little mis-matched ears (one pink, one white) fold like unto a domestic cat's encouraging further petting.
'Chirrooooo'
So very insistant a little pet, the bold creature lifts up and atop her hinds. Forelegs fold against her chest, decorative leaves fluttering and curled tail swaying to keep her balanced. There she dances to stay upright, pleading for attention. And should a good look down be made, she'll show what has to be a trained response. Lifting her forelegs in a splay upwards, she plainly mimics a child's mute plea to be picked up.