(Under the cut)
Note: Originally Zyzzy was more an original character inspired by the Doctor- hence the different history, abilities, etc. However, his character has begun changing more into an archetype due to meetings with other characters from the universe. I'm choosing not to change his bio because I'm lazy xD If interacting with the Doctor, you can choose to ignore the differences, or integrate them into the RP/scenario, whatever you prefer!
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Bio
His true name is a mystery known only to him. He likes "Zyzzy" though; heard it somewhere in his travels and grew to like the weird, funny word so much he made it his name. He is not a god, though he lived when the Twin Gods were building this endless forest. He comes from another place altogether, now long gone from war and destruction. The gods of his world created his kind with hope for a peaceful place, but in the end destroyed their creation, their only hope left being to prevent the spread of the evil that was born there. In his refusal to fight, but instead try to help the injured(where he was given the title of Doctor by many on both sides of the battle field, and still carries it with him to this day), he was spared by the gods, who placed him in another world to start life anew, no memory of his former life to haunt him; but when he awoke, his memories and powers from that old life remained. And so he is the very last of his kind, carrying a planet's history and magic with him as he wanders...
His kind were called Time Lords, because of their mastery over life and death; they cheated the cycle of life with their abilities, and so became eternal spectators of the universe, watching as worlds were born and developed around them, and even helped them in times of crisis- few had the means for travel, used wisely by those deemed worthy enough to be gifted with it. Another gift of the gods to the Time Lords was regeneration- when the body is mortally wounded or simply wears down, an instant reincarnation occurs, creating a new body to shelter the same soul and mind. They had a magic of their own, as well- the ability to understand another completely. By standing near each other, one could sense another's physical health, feel their emotions and even hear their thoughts on occasion. Their minds were open to each other, so with a simple touch one could truly feel another's place in the world, and then help them in the best way possible. They had a wide knowledge of herbal and magical medicinal knowledge, and could heal themselves and others with ease. With these levels of connection, trust and well-wielded power, their world and many around them thrived in peace for centuries... but not all creatures had these gifts of magic and endless life, and an evil was born when jealousy and malice crept into the hearts of a few, to be spread like wildfire into many. The rest is a dark history he wishes not to repeat. All he knows is he is alone now. As he walks the earth in his 400th year, the last of his kind, no companion staying by his side for long- and how can he expect them to? 'Long' to him is centuries; to most living creatures it is mere years- he wonders whether this life is really a gift or a curse...
But in the end, for all his experiences, both good and bad, he always, always, remembers it is a gift better than any other. He has seen other worlds, and traveled the lengths of them. Met incredible people and creatures, made life-long friends, seen spectacular things most could only dream of, and for him, it may never end. How much cooler can things get? He doesn't need an answer to that question as he makes his way into a new corner of the world... a place inhabited only by deer, and with a magic all its own so similar to his... how could he resist making himself at home?
Hello everyone. I'm the Doctor.
Info:
Name: Real name unknown. Goes by Zyzzy or the Doctor. Those names are cool.
Gender: Male
Age: 900(doesn't look a day over 450 though, he swears!)
Pan-romantic
Species: Time Lord. Has had many regenerations in many species. Currently: Stag.
Set: Silver/grey pelt, orca mask, wears poppies in his antlers.
Picto:
X
Personality: Silly, charming, witty, wise. He is incredibly talkative and loves telling and hearing stories. Especially loves fawns for their 'newness' to the world, and likes to play with them and show magic tricks. Beneath all his charms and good humor are a few dark corners, though. He draws others in and manipulates them into doing what he wants- he enjoys company and deeply cares for those close to him, but in difficult situations he's known for calling on those around him for help, or more accurately, to fight his battles for him. Most times it isn't even a conscious action, and he would never think of his ways of "making friends" in this light, but it's the truth. In this and many other ways he can be incredibly self-centered. Encountering 'dark' deer puts him in a foul mood due to his sensitivity to others, and memories of the dark spirit that ruined his world. He often creates a delusionally positive view of the world, and becomes angry when reality doesn't meet his standards. These things remind him that the world isn't as perfect as he wants it to be, and that negativity and darkness are everywhere, including(especially) in him.
Likes: Fawns, play-sparring, dancing, running, story-telling, meeting new deer, respect, sitting on the big rock at the playground, shiny things
Dislikes: Genuine fighting, prejudice, stupidity, arrogance(irony of ironies)
Other info:
- His ability to sense others' health, emotions and thoughts is limited with many deer, due to the very private and closed-off nature of many, especially to strangers. The closer you become to him, the easier it will be to sense these things. Others are simply open books.
- He will not heal or help anyone unless he is asked first, to prevent misunderstandings or problems. Sometimes, even if you approach him for help, he will refuse; he's not being cruel, but some things are meant to happen, and no one can change that. If he senses something is meant to be, there's nothing he can do.
- He *will* play tag with you, whether you're ready for it or not! If you see him running at you, stop to sniff you or roar and then run away, it means you're it!
- He is distracted by pretty things, and especially shiny things. If you have a shiny coat, wear any kind of medallion or necklace, or possess anything that shines, he will take an automatic interest in you.
(hopefully this will be a temporary bio... I'd like to have a fancied-up page, but CSS/technology in general is so far over my head its not funny. This works for now though! RPs welcome here, for whoever wants to.)
hi oh and TRACKING this heh
Hellooo
Zyzzy...If only you knew what
Oh my... well now I have to
I can't tell you...rofl. But
It's kinda cute in fact...almost...I think.
Did Anjali just meet the Doc?
If he did, I apologize for leaving so soon.
Oh, and anyway...*flying track of love!!!*
Nayu- AHAHAHA. Oh lord. xD
Anjali- he did!
Yay! It was funny, when I
Yes, I hope so too!
Could I possibly RP with Zyzzy? Unfortunately, I'm not the best or the fastest RPer...but I'd certainly like to work at it. ^^"
Hahaha. Yess, the Doctor is a
I finally have a stable internet connection again, so I'm finally back in the game! And its good to see familiar faces. ^___^
And I'd love to RP with you sometime! I'm not the best or the fastest either- in fact, I've never done it before, so don't expect greatness, LOL! But I think it will be awesome.
ROFLMAO!! I seriously hope
LOL, it has! xD And its
Great; just let me know when
I know some people RP while their deer are in-Forest together, but I can't run TEF in a window (at least not without freaking out my laptop -__- )...
Anytime works! And I hate to
I can't run the game in a window either, so just here works well... even if I could, I probably don't have the attention span to be able to pay attention to the game and a written RP at the same time, LOL!
Sure, I'll do my best. c:
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The young stag's head turned sharply the moment he caught sight of the deer, the one with the silvery pelt and dark face. It was him. The deer Anjali had seen earlier, as he played near the edge of the Pond. Although Anjali had barely met the silver stag, he had been instantaneously captivated by him. And he couldn't quite say why. Maybe it was the deer's energy, the sense of motion and confidence that had seemed to radiate from him, like the heat of the sun. Maybe it was something stranger...
Anjali turned toward the grey stag, his hoofbeats soft on the grass, as the breeze ruffled snags of fluffy fur that spoke of a fawnhood not too long ago lost. Although he had nearly grown into his antlers, this buck was still very much a fawn-at-heart. It was one thing to have the appearance of a mostly-grown deer, but another matter entirely to actually own it.
He stopped a short ways from the older stag, hesitating shyly. Lips parted behind a red birchwood mask.
"H-hello?"
He waited to see if the the stag would notice his presence.
Thanks for the bio! Its so
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"H-hello?"
The soft question was almost lost on the wind, and Zyzzy's ears flicked backwards, trying to catch the sound. He sensed another, not far behind him... a familiar deer, he could tell, but he couldn't be sure who yet... this forest was abundant with deer, and he was almost lost in the middle of it all, still new to this place and all its inhabitants... every day met him with dozens of new acquaintances. In time he would be able to sense friends' presences from many yards away, but for now, everyone was simply a stranger.
He turned to see the caller, and was pleasantly surprised to see his friend from the pond. They had only met for a few moments, but Zyzzy enjoyed his company greatly. The buck intrigued him with his contradictory personality- playful and exuberant, yet also shy and reserved... unsure of himself, still being young, but yet walking with a sense of pride... and the feeling of great peace and quiet reverence for everything around him exuding from the deer, blending and dancing with his joy and his playfulness... that caught Zyzzy by surprise, and the feeling swelled within him til he felt ecstatic happiness around the deer and his other companions as they played for those few moments. He was surprised at the depth and heart of the young deer, seemingly so much older than he appeared. Like me, he chuckled to himself.
He walked over to greet his new friend, happy to have met again so soon. "Hi there," he said, smiling. "No need to be shy, dealing with a mad old stag like me. I'm glad to see you! I wanted to get your name. And tell you I love your pelt. Its so shiny. I love shiny things. Did you know there are whole planets made out of crystals out there? When the sun hits it its so bright you almost can't look at it!" He stopped for a second, realizing what he was talking about, and shook his head a bit. "I'm rambling... I'm good at that. Sorry. I'm the Doctor. Or Zyzzy. Whichever you like, just not Doctor Zyzzy- makes me sound like an odd, stuffy old man. Which I am, minus the stuffiness, but I don't like it to be announced. And who are you?"
Sorry, I should have said
Ack, I love the way you've written Zyzzy. I've always imagined that the Doctor is an incredibly hard character to write in the voice of, just because he's so...uh...well, himself. X3
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Anjali blinked and almost sat back on his tail, startled by the rush of talk from the stag. Green eyes widened a little at the strangeness of the words, some of which Anjali didn't understand: Planets? Old man? This deer was even odder than he had first seemed. But his genuine and friendly manner put Anjali at ease; the buck's tense shoulders relaxed considerably beneath iridescent fur.
"Oh—uh, thank you?" he stammered in belated response to the praise about his coat. Manners came back to him, and he tucked one dark leg under his body and leaned down over it in a deep bow. "My name is Anjali." he said upon rising. "I'm glad to meet you, Doctor Z—" he bit his tongue, confused by the two names. He said one or the other, right? Not both. "—uh, Doctor."
There was something about that title...it had a firm ring to it, strong and trustworthy. But Anjali had to rather sheepishly admit that he didn't know what it meant.
"What is a...Doctor? I've never heard of it before...
Ahhh, that's what's up. I'll
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The older stag chuckled a bit and stared at the ground a moment, suddenly feeling embarassed at his enthusiastic ranting. He doesn't know what half the stuff you just said is, he's a deer. Always has been and always will be. You'd never expect one species to understand anothers' world and language, would you? You'd think you'd have the hang of this after 4 centuries, idiot. But he picked up his spirit instantly, as if nothing had even happened, and bowed back to his friend. "Nice to meet you, Anjali. You know, that word means many beautiful things in other languages. It really fits you." He smiled warmly at that. Anjali... it really did suit the younger deer's serenity. He found himself pondering the meanings of words and names suddenly, until Anjali's confused stare came into focus, and he finally remembered he had been in the middle of a conversation.
"Er, sorry... zoned out for a moment. What's a doctor? Well, many things, depending on where you are! But to put it simply, in the human world a doctor is a healer. They find out what's wrong with you and then fix it. Isn't that cool?" He beamed as he said it, as if he were the epitome of coolness.
A healer? Anjali's ears
Anjali's ears pricked up at this word. He liked the Doctor immediately more for it, and with good reason— after all, he owed his life to another deer who was also a healer of sorts. The faint scars that hid beneath the fur of his shoulders and neck could testify to that. Anjali's ears folded low to his head for a moment as he recalled the white, ferocious jaw of the creature that had given him those marks. He wondered if Zyzzy had ever encountered anything so strange, or terrifying.
"A healer is good...this Forest needs more healers. Right now, everything is peaceful..." Anjali raised his head and looked around: calm water, quiet deer, the distant sound of fawns casting playful spells. "...but there's a surprising amount of danger here. Not everything beneath these trees is friendly."
A little shyness crept back into Anjali's voice as he murmured, "A healer—that's something I would like to be." A wink of admiration and hopefulness shone in his eyes. "Perhaps you could...maybe...teach me some things? Only if you want to or can, of course, I mean..." He trailed off quickly and self-consciously, sliding his eyes from the Doctor's face to focus intently on the blades of grass about his feet.
As Anjali spoke, a strange,
Ignoring the questions for the time being, the Doctor suddenly grew serious and dove to the heart of what troubled him. "Anjali, what else is in the forest?" He asked. "I know not everyone is so friendly here, but I get the feeling you're not talking about other deer." He had the disturbing feeling that he wasn't the only presence from another world here, and these were obviously not friendly. He badly wanted to ask what happened to Anjali, but didnt want to frighten the buck off already... he hoped he'd hear the tale in the other deer's response, and simply waited to discover what was lurking in the shadows of this seemingly perfect place...
"Well, some are deer—" Anjali
He hesitated for a moment. "One almost took mine."
"We know them as 'Rock Hounds.' They are strange, wolf-like, skeletal creatures...and they are controlled by something—someone—not from this Forest. I was attacked by one, several months ago. I managed to escape, but I wouldn't have lived if not for a deer called Quad."
Anjali looked up at the Doctor, searching his eyes for a hint at the reason behind his sharp curiosity. There was something odd about Zyzzy's eyes: they seemed like they should belong to the body of a much older deer. To the buck, the Doctor seemed to have a gaze that held something powerful and slightly unsettling deep within it, like an unexpected glint of light at the bottom of a well. It intrigued Anjali, and frightened him a little, too.
The young stag shook his head slightly. "I haven't heard anything about the Rock Hounds for a while, thankfully. But I think this Forest holds deeper mysteries than I can understand...and if creatures like the Rock Hounds were here, anything might be."
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As a note, the "attack" on Anjali was part of Quadraptor's Rock Hound event, where we were invited to interact with the Rock Hounds and create stories/drawings around them.
Thanks for linking me I
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The Doctor's features darkened as Anjali described the rock hounds to him. Skeletal predators that aimed to kill... for what? He had no problem with the circle of life, but they obviously didn't eat the dead, so what was the point besides cold-blooded murder? And more importantly, who had put them here and given them that directive? He began to pace a bit as the younger deer described his harrowing encounter with one of the creatures. His friend had nearly been killed by one of these things. Somehow, despite hardly knowing Anjali and just learning of the rock hounds, that made it a personal matter. The buck gave him a bit of hope, like many(and yet so few at the same time) had before, and something had nearly snuffed that out. No, he wasn't going to tolerate that. He had seen too many friends die before at the hands of evil. A whole planet, a whole species, wiped out at the uprising of it. His gods were naive; they thought destroying what they'd made would eradicate evil from the universe. As Zyzzy had unhappily learned, it was hardly a drop of water in the ocean of worlds out there...
Eyes downcast, he snorted and shook his head. "I should've known this place seemed too perfect," he said sadly. "Darkness even reaches here." He sighed and looked up at Anjali, meeting the other's gaze, and said softly, "Thank you for telling me your story. I'm so, so sorry such a thing happened... and I'm thankful Quad could be there to help you. I've heard a little about him here and there... he sounds like an amazing deer." He smiled at that, trying to return to his previous demeanor. "At the very least, they're gone for now... or so I hope. I hope you'll let me know if they're ever seen again... I'd like to help get them out of here, before any more lives can be taken."
And suddenly, as if a switch had been flicked, his eyes lit up again and a small smile lit upon his lips. A heaviness still set in his heart for the story told to him, but he'd resolved to not dwell on negativity too long... not that he'd exactly ever succeeded, but he was trying. He walked back over to Anjali, seriousness temporarily forgotten. "Now, you asked if I could teach you some things... I think I can do that." He said with a smug tone in his voice. "I have a very wide knowledge of herbal medicines, and while not everything's here, there's still plenty enough to cure what ails ya! Unfortunately thats about all I could teach you though... everything else is... off-limits, I'm afraid. For now, anyway. But anyway, time's wasting away, we've got things to do and stuff to see! Let lesson one begin!" The last few words trailed off as the Doctor sauntered off in the direction of the Twin Gods statue, fully expecting that Anjali would not be far behind.
Edit: I'm gonna be gone for the rest of tonight and tomorrow, so I won't be able to respond til Tuesday. Just letting you know so it doesn't seem like I abandoned this! xD
Awrg, okay! Darn, I was
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Anjali had nodded and accepted the Doctor’s condolences about the Rock Hound attack. It had been a terrifying point in his life, but it was over now—he had survived, he was well, the scars that evening had left on his body and mind were mere shadows of wounds.
But something else the Doctor had said was tugging persistently at Anjali’s mind: “I should’ve known this place seemed too perfect. Darkness even reaches here.” This place…even reaches here…what did the Doctor mean by it? What other places could Zyzzy possibly have been that held enough darkness to make the vibrant gray stag suddenly become solemn and concerned? These questions continued to swirl around Anjali’s mind like chilly water, even when the Doctor’s manner suddenly changed back to its initial warm and friendly ease.
He’s not from the Forest, that much is certain. I don’t even know if he’s really a deer! But if the Doctor’s not from the Forest, then—where? The idea of the world beyond these ancient trees had always occupied a certain space in the back of Anjali’s thoughts, like a seed planted deep within his mind. Because Anjali knew—beyond a single doubt, as surely as he had known that his name was Anjali—that he was also not from the Forest. Not in the way of deer who were born in these woods, at least. But this seed of knowledge had always remained tightly sealed; it had never spread roots through the buck’s mind and offered him a glimpse at who he once might have been, deer or otherwise. Not yet, anyways.
Anjali quickly made up his mind to ask Zyzzy where else he had been, but he suddenly realized that the Doctor was gone. “Let lesson one begin!” rang in the air from the direction of the Gods’ Hill, and the buck turned to see the silver stag already a good distance from him. Well, questions would have to wait. Anjali tucked them away for later, and took several bounding leaps to catch up with his newfound teacher and friend.
Back Sorry I missed hanging
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Zyzzy knew the deer fast catching up to him had many questions on his mind, and most had to do with him. Others seemed to quickly catch on that something was different about him... and, well, that was mostly his fault. He could never manage to just keep his mouth shut and act normal... but where was the fun in that? Normal was boring, and he was not boring. He also didn't want to answer a lot of those questions though... at the least, he might perturb his friend, or even make Anjali think he was a liar or delusional- it certainly wouldn't be the first time. At the worst, he might stir up trouble in the forest. A lot of deer had no idea there was something beyond this place... maybe they wouldn't take kindly to a total outsider. He knew the other beings from a different place were evil... maybe they'd think he was too. But those thoughts aside, he would just have to dodge Anjali's inquisitiveness as best he could. There were lessons to be taught, after all!
Reaching the Gods' Hill, he stopped in front of the statues, surveying the various plants growing at their bases. He finally spotted what he was looking for, and pointed out a patch of thin, creeping branches with red-tipped leaves and small purple flowers blooming about them, surrounding the very base of the statues . "These are called Heal-all. Real name is Prunella, but heal-all is more accurate, really. Some say this plant is a gift of the gods because of its abilities. Its leaves and flowers are edible, and help fevers, sore mouths, internal bleeding and heart weakness. it will also help clean wounds. It can be eaten as-is, or picked and crushed up with other healing herbs to help numerous ailments at once. And this is just one of many healing herbs that grows near the Twin Gods! If you need anything to help an injured deer, I would say this is the first place you should look, though medicinal plants are widely spread through this whole forest." He went on to describe and show Anjali where a variety of plants grew around the hill, from five-finger grass- whose 5-plated leaves and yellow flowers soothe rashes, sores and infections- to violets, whose roots cause vomiting to expel poisons, and crushed flowers and leaves alleviate headaches, and help relaxation. Once done, he turned to the curious buck beside him, and simply asked, "Any questions before we move elsewhere?"
Yes, definitely!
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A deeply serious expression was fixed on Anjali's face as he followed the Doctor from plant to plant. The young stag was pulled by the fawn-like, open-minded urge to simply learn. To gain knowledge that would, one day, help him take his place in the Forest. But he was also aware of the the value of a teacher like Zyzzy—no matter how unusual a teacher he was. After all, Anjali had grown up without the guidance of his parents. It was a fate strangely common amongst Forest deer, and it meant good teachers were rare and precious.
"Heal-all...fevers...and heart weakness..."
Anjali quietly repeated the plants' names and properties to himself as they walked. Most of their names had slipped his mind by the time Zyzzy reached violets—but he hadn't forgotten their scents. The buck had deftly pushed his mask up between his antlers, and as Zyzzy pointed out each herb, Anjali pushed his nose into its leaves and inhaled its unique smell, committing it instinctively to his sensory memory. Names and descriptions were difficult to remember, but the scent of a certain flower or the slight differences between two deers' calls as they floated through the trees—those things Anjali could recognize immediately. It was as natural to him as breathing.
Then Zyzzy asked for questions, and all that Anjali had been wondering rocketed into his mouth. But he clamped down on his tongue: it suddenly seemed rude to demand so many answers from Zyzzy. Yes, he's a bit strange...but he's being kind to teach me so much, and I'm glad...for some reason, I'm glad he's here. And that's enough.
So Anjali's question was instead, "Where did you learn about of all this?" He was genuinely amazed at the Doctor's knowledge of the plants he would've pegged for inedible weeds, and he left the question open for Zyzzy to—perhaps—reveal a little more about himself.
"Where did you learn about
Zyzzy ducked his head a bit, but smiled to his friend and now student. He was glad for Anjali's immense interest in healing and learning medicines... healing was a trade that was well needed everywhere. He had an amazing memory for scents and appearances of plants, and coupled with his personality, the young stag would make an incredible doctor, as well as teacher. But his question managed to get stuck on his mind. How to answer? It did require some revelation on his part, but at least it was vague enough that details wouldn't matter just yet. And for all Anjali's honesty, openness and companionship over the day, the least he could do was share a little himself...
"Ohhh, here and there... ran into many a doctor in my time, not always willingly mind you, but you do pick stuff up from them. Mostly useful stuff, though doctors have always had the tendency to be a bit nuts, so take their advice with a little caution." He shuddered for a second before muttering, "Leeches. Not your friends." Realizing he was dancing around the subject yet again, he sighed, and rerouted the conversation more seriously. "Alright, I'm not quite answering you am I... I learned all of this from family, friends, healers of my people. I'm... not quite from around here, and I know you know that. My people were from a different place, far from this forest... they were great healers, knew a lot about herbal medicines and magical healing. Could practically cure anything except your eye color! And well, I'm pretty sure that could be arranged too..." He chuckled a bit before continuing, "We learned this stuff from a young age, there's no age limit on your ability to help one another, after all. After such a long time of studying things like this, I could pick out medical plants, roots and fruits with my eyes shut. So, there you have it!"
Anjali listened to the Doctor
"So were your people...deer?" he asked at last.
He wasn't sure what else they might be. Their healing powers made them sound like the Twin Gods, but Zyzzy almost certainly wasn't a god. And Anjali had heard only a little bit about those other creatures—the ones who had built the bridge over the stream, and the cold, vast Ruins. The humans. One of his friends had said that she used to be human, so it wasn't impossible. Was it?
Zyzzy pawed at the ground and
I seriously love how you're
Time Lords... Those last
Those last words Zyzzy said seemed to hang in the air, the way the sound of a bell kept on ringing long after the bell itself had been struck. It floated in the silence between the Doctor and Anjali.
"So...you are a—a Time Lord?" Not deer, not dove, or crow or frog or firefly or god, and not quite human. Anjali's sense of the world seemed to expand a little, and he took this new piece of knowledge in stride—surely there were many things he did not know.
But something did botherer Anjali. The buck could sense Zyzzy's nervousness, the sudden sadness in his body and voice as he spoke the name of his people. The tone of Zyzzy's voice seemed to form a sudden, strange knot in Anjali's heart. They weren't deer. Were human-like. Called. Were. Were.
He asked the question, although he feared the answer.
"And...are there Time Lords still, beyond the Forest?"
11dollarbills- Thank you!
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Zyzzy feared Anjali's next question, but knew it was coming. It always did. Often the conversation leading up to it was very cheery, him boasting proudly about his species and all of their unique abilities, weaving vivid tales about his planet and all its beauty and different creatures... occasionally it was like this, more somber. Every time it was difficult to hear that question, in one form or another.
He looked up at Anjali for a moment, sadness swirling in his eyes, before looking away, answering softly. "No. No... there aren't any more now. I'm the only one left." He sighed deeply. "The last of a species. How about that."
TRACK!!!! ~
~<3
*rubs all over and plants self down*
WOOHOO!! And comment to
And comment to everyone: Especially now that it isn't edit-able, I feel a little stupid calling Zyzzy a Time Lord, since the way I created his character doesn't really fit the title at all, was just inspired from it. I wanted to come up with another name, but I couldn't think of one and didn't want to stall the RP for the 3 weeks it would take me to think of a good one, lol. Should his name change, and we just kind of conveniently forget that the Time Lord bit happened, or should his bio change, and how?
EDIT: did the best I could xD Tell me what you think.
Sorry I didn't reply
I like what you did the Time Lord concept.
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"Oh."
It was all Anjali said, for the moment. He didn't know what else to say. What did you say, to something like that?
"I'm sorry, Zyzzy." He looked down at his hooves. Over at the trees. Up at the Gods' statues, white on sunlit white. He imagined that Zyzzy didn't want to hear sympathy, but "I'm sorry" seemed the only appropriate thing to say.
The buck suddenly wished that he hadn't asked so many questions.
Then he thought of something, and hoped it wouldn't offend the Doctor. "Maybe...maybe you aren't exactly the last. You and I and all the deer in the Forest...we're all the same in some way, aren't we? I think you'll...you'll always have a people here."
Could you belong to more than one people? Anjali didn't know, but he hoped—for the Doctor, he hoped that you could.
lol- well a real life is a
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Zyzzy smiled slightly. It was an incredibly awkward conversation to have... always was. How exactly does someone respond to "my whole species is dead"? You don't really know how unless you're in the same situation. He didn't want pity or to hear 'sorries' over and over again, but it was really all one could say, so he accepted it wholeheartedly. And then Anjali surprised him...
"Maybe...maybe you aren't exactly the last. You and I and all the deer in the Forest...we're all the same in some way, aren't we? I think you'll...you'll always have a people here."
Zyzzy's face darkened for a second, but a small smile soon replaced it, growing more genuine as he looked at his friend, the smile reaching his eyes as he did. "Its not the same thing... never could be. But... I still think you're right. At our souls, we are the same... if we make ourselves a part of it, we will always belong to something, some family or nation. Never truly alone. You are even wiser than you already appear, Anjali."
The moment lingered a few seconds longer before Zyzzy broke it, suddenly curious. He set into movement, pacing and walking around Anjali as if studying him as he spoke. "Now the bigger question now is about you. Where did you come from? Who are you? The living deer who wears a spirit's mask, who is young but acts and thinks so much older and wiser, who was probably born here but thinks he comes from the outside? I know you think you're from another place too. Why do you think that? There aren't many who even know of the outside world in the Forest- its supposed to be endless, after all! What makes you different?" He spoke quickly, suddenly more animated than he had been for awhile as he wandered about, tilting his head, moving in close to Anjali and then looping back to walk circles around his friend. His questions were casual and soft-spoken, but lacked the tact and manners Anjali sported. The Doctor wasn't even aware of his rudeness, but simply found himself lost in a puzzle he wanted to figure out, wanting to know more about his interesting companion, and hoped Anjali had the answers.
Green eyes followed the
"I know you think you're from another place too...What makes you different?"
"Well, I..." he started, and then trailed off. How did you explain something that you didn't know through reason, but simply felt? But, no—there must be some reason behind it. Anjali squinched his eyes shut, and let memories flash through the blackness.
Cold. Cold around him. Chill air tugging at closed eyelids. A fawn opens his eyes to trees that scrape the heavens. The fawn is completely alone. As he rises on spindly legs, he somehow accepts this alone-ness. He does not cry for his parents, or seek their warm fur to push his cold face into.
Anjali's eyes open slightly. "The strange things is, my memory only goes back so far. Most fawns remember their parents, even if they had to grow up without them. But I don't...I don't remember anything at all. It's like there's a gap, or a river in my mind...a river that's too wide to leap." He shook his head, eyes no longer fixed on Zyzzy, but on the ground before him. "Maybe I've lost my memory, somehow. Or maybe something else happened. I don't know. But I feel that I come from somewhere other than the Forest. It's...strange."
Zyzzy listened intently as
"Thank you, for sharing," Zyzzy said with a nod to Anjali. "You've certainly led an interesting life... all alone as a fawn, seemingly no parents or even an older deer to guide you? That's incredible on its own! You're a strong one, you. That's always been clear. Surely there's some memory of your family tucked away in there... maybe there's a reason you forgot. Or, you may be right.... it may just be something else altogether. Someday you'll know, if you want to and you dig deeply enough..." Maybe I can help, in more than one way... that's for another time, though.
"And now, I have one more question..." His eyes locked with Anjali's again, a non-threatening gaze mostly filled with curiosity, but he could sense that anxiety coming from the other deer yet again... something about him set Anjali off, and it puzzled him. Most people of any species couldn't sense anything off about him(for the brief few moments he kept his mouth shut, anyway), or even strange until they were plummeted into his life and his world... but right off the bat Anjali seemed to realize something was very different, and moreso, that something wasn't quite right. Zyzzy hated to admit it, but that unnerved him. His simple curiosity about his friend growing more intense as their talks continued, he simply had to know.
"Why are you afraid of me?"
OMG FAT ZYZZY!! *burrows deep
Okay, sorry. *deep breath* *regains composure*
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Anjali wanted to interject with a clarification as Zyzzy was speaking—it wasn't exactly true that he'd grown up by himself. He could clearly recall the night he met the mystic-stag Yorres beneath the branches of the Oak, or the day when the powerful doe Ravus took him (as she had taken so many fawns) under her wing. No, even without parents, it was almost impossible to grow up truly alone in the Forest. Even he had become an adoptive elder brother to two young fawns...here, he had learned, family was less defined by blood than by the bonds you grew to share with others.
These more-joyful memories were flickering through Anjali's mind when Zyzzy's eyes suddenly locked onto his own, and the silver stag asked:
"Why are you afraid of me?"
"Afraid of you?" The question caught Anjali off guard. Had his tremors of unease really been that obvious? The buck wanted to look away and dispel the question as nonsense, but Zyzzy's gaze held him tightly. Anjali found himself looking deeper into those oddly ancient eyes. He found his own eyes narrowing, not in aggression, but in seriousness.
"Zyzzy...please don't take this the wrong way. It's just that something about you is telling me that you're...maybe...dangerous."
"The way you ask questions, and the way you seem to know—" Anjali realized it only as he said it: "—to know what I'm thinking. You knew I didn't believe that I was from the Forest."
He blinked, his eyes widening a little. Then he shook his head again, and laughed. "It's probably just me. You're only the first Time Lord I've met, after all. I don't want to be afraid of you, but—"
No. He had to figure this out. This time, it was Anjali's eyes who sought out Zyzzy's and did not leave them. "—Zyzzy...should I be?"
heee xD He is a fat ball of
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Zyzzy's eyes quickly sought the ground as the roles reversed, and it was Anjali who needed answering to an unexpected and somewhat difficult question. Should he be afraid of him? For all his arrogance and hero complexes, Zyzzy recognized his many faults. He had lived too long, maybe, and it was taking a toll on how well he handled things, how he acted, everything. He was getting angrier easier... and there is no wrath like a Time Lord's. For as peaceful as his people were, they were feared by many, and he carried their reputation like a flaming sword at times. He knew he manipulated people... he was something of a coward. Strength in numbers, they always say... but what do you say when you can coerce people to lay their lives down at the drop of a hat for you, so you don't have to? He didn't enjoy this newfound sense of introspection, nor the guilt and self-loathing that often came with it. That all developed in his previous regeneration, that strange, skinny human with floppy hair and a madman's grin. Behind all the quirkiness and bow-ties and cheer lay a dark and disturbed man. He expected a major personality change with this new form, especially for being a totally different species, but he found he was more or less the same... he wasn't happy about it. He wanted to be different. He accepted the cards he was dealt though, as he always did... he never expected to have to lay them out to another though, at least not so soon. He wondered with a hint of amusement what would happen if Anjali learned everything about him. It could be wonderful! It could also be awful. Not everyone thinks an ancient alien who can sense everything about you is cool.
He finally looked back up, realizing it probably looked to Anjali like he'd simply been spacing out for what must have been several minutes. He had to answer eventually, and with it would probably come a long talk...
"I don't know. Maybe. That is honestly up to you. Do you think you need to fear me? Have I given you a reason to distrust me?" His expression softened as he spoke, and tried to figure out how to say what he wanted to next. "I don't want to scare you. You're a good friend, even if we've hardly known each other a day... I could explain some things to you, if you really want. We'd have to find somewhere quiet to sit, it may be a long talk. Or, we could simply continue our lessons. I have a feeling I know which one you're going to pick, but options are still fun." He smirked a bit at his last remark, and simply waited for Anjali's answer.
Anjali watched quietly as the
"Do you think you need to fear me? Have I given you a reason to distrust me?"
Anjali's ears drooped lower with each sentence. He was being disrespectful, he realized, to mistrust Zyzzy without any real reason. No matter if the Doctor spoke of things the buck could only guess at, or if he was a deer or a Time Lord or something in-between—he had been nothing but warm and open to Anjali.
And so, by the time Zyzzy had finished speaking and laid out Anjali's options, the young stag had already made his choice.
"Zyzzy, I am sorry. You're right: I don't have a reason to fear you. I trust you, and I'd be honored if you'd continue to teach me."
Anjali's black-and-white face suddenly broke out into a smile. A slight mischievous gleam flickered in his eyes. "But first...like you said, we hardly know each other, and..." Well, there was only one way to get to know a deer better, sometimes.
You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.
Anjali did it in a single swift movement. He reared up, tilted his head back until his mask slipped over his face, and sprang away with one push of his dark legs. It was an invitation to run with him, to race, to relax the need for serious talk and worries, if only for a while. He would learn more about his teacher in time, he was sure. And perhaps more about himself.
But for now, Anjali didn't even risk a glance over his shoulder to see if the Doctor was following—no, he wasn't going to lose this race!
Zyzzy was just about to
The hoofbeats of the two deer
The buck's ears flattened in mock-despair as Zyzzy caught up with him. He was glad the Doctor had joined him, and a bit relieved that the grey stag seemed to be having just as much fun. Running full-speed through the Forest had been one of Anjali's favorite pastimes as a fawn, and the joy and release it brought him meant that he loved it still.
Anjali suddenly veered to the left, swerving tightly to avoid a stand of birch trees. He headed towards the area called the Playground, with its large and mossy outcroppings of rock. One of these rocks was drawing closer at an alarming rate—too quickly to swerve again. Anjali scanned it: was it low enough to jump? Maybe. There wasn't much time to decide.
He picked up speed and fairly flew towards the rock. At the last moment, Anjali squeezed his eyes shut and kicked off with his back legs, launching himself into the air. Ears melded to the sides of his head, front legs tucked into his chest like wings. Over! Then his front hooves hit the ground: a hard landing, but safe. Panting, he stopped and turned to see if his friend had made the jump safely.
Zyzzy watched as Anjali
The Playground came closer as the two ran, and Zyzzy almost made a point that the tallest rock would be the finish-line... but suddenly Anjali took a last-minute leap into the air, just narrowly avoiding running into the rock Zyzzy hadn't even noticed in his focus on the race at hand. Anjali swept gracefully over the rock with his quick-thinking, landing hard but successfully on the other side. Zyzzy wasn't quite so lucky; he had the chance to react, but not quite as planned- he lept up, but not far enough, nor soon enough, and his back legs crashed into it mid-jump, bringing him down with a great thud. He stood himself up on the rock, slightly dazed. "I totally saw that rock, and I totally did that on purpose. I did." He swore, humorously trying to save himself from embarassment after his theatrical crash. He laughed at the look on Anjali's face though, and clambered down to meet his friend.
"Well, we could say you won, but after my tragic accident, I'd say that would be cheating. Yes, definitely cheating." A smirk caught his lips and his eyes were bright with a playful mirth. "I say we finish this, at the top of the tallest rock in the Playground!" And after waiting just a moment, took off in the direction of the great boulders, waiting to hear the sound of Anjali's quick hooves behind him.
xD "Tragic accident." Poor
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Anjali had winced visibly at Zyzzy's not-so-successful attempt to clear the rock, but before he'd even had time to ask Zyzzy if he was alright, the older stag was on his feet and smiling. Anjali smiled too, although he was quite relieved the Doctor's crash hadn't resulted in any serious injuries—it would have been a long way to run to get some heal-all from the Hill.
"Cheating...?" he murmured, but only to himself—Zyzzy had already taken off. Anjali watched him head towards the rocks, then called out, "Okay...you're on!" He galloped towards the Playground and leaped up on the rocks, careful to watch his footing: the stones were craggy and rough in some areas, smooth and slippery with moss and age in others. His hooves clacked and rang and he climbed upwards, wondering what Zyzzy had in mind at the top of the tallest rock.
I just scrolled through and
And thank you!! <3 I love reading yours as well... this has definitely helped me improve the way I write, in a lot of ways. Now if I could just make my posts a little less long-winded... lol!
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Zyzzy used all of his energy to run up to the rocks, jumping up and across the old stones, trying his best to keep his footing, panicking as he saw his adversary very close. How could the Doctor lose?? Mere moments later they had both reached the peak, and the finish line of their fast-paced game. Zyzzy walked about on the mostly flat surface of the massive rock they stood atop, panting and with a smile on his face. "Well, I guess we'll just have to call it a tie. You're faster than I thought... normally no one can beat me!" He grinned at Anjali, and then went back to surveying their surroundings. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a light red over the sky... he was surprised to find them alone at the Playground; the others in the Forest coming together somewhere else, or just hiding in intimate groups along the borders... they didn't know what they were missing in this view.
"Look how cool this is!" He shouted to Anjali as he turned to look in all directions from their mountainous lookout, flicking an ear out to listen for an echo, seeming almost childish in his simple amusement. "You can see everything up here. The forest really does seem endless, doesn't it? No end to the hills, the treeline just going on forever." He grinned and bounced about the surface again, being his goofy self and hoping to get a laugh out of Anjali as he did so. A spark of light in the sky caught his attention, and he looked up, smiling in wonder. "And there we are... the very first star of the evening. What do you think of those stars up there?"
Oh my, this is quite long.
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The Doctor's energy and amusement was infectious, and Anjali bounded about on the rocks as well, eyes laughing behind his mask as Zyzzy's booming "Look how cool this is!" startled a few birds who had been dust-bathing below. The little flock shot into the air, like dark stones flung across the sky.
Anjali twisted his head around: there was the Birch forest with its trees turning to gold; there were the Gods' statues, like mounds of distant snow. Zyzzy was right, you could see everything from the Playground.
"What do you think of those stars up there?"
Anjali craned his head upwards, searching for the pinpricks of light. The sun was sinking rapidly, and every minute more stars were visible. They speckled the vast blueness like spots on the back of a fawn.
"They're beautiful," the buck said at last. He didn't take his eyes from the tiny lights. "I can almost imagine running through them, like they were fields of white flowers." He paused for a moment, tilted his head. "I have heard legends that the stars are holes poked in the sky by the tines of the Gods, or the souls of deer who have left this world...or are yet to come into it. Maybe that's where I come from!" he laughed. Then he dropped his head and turned to Zyzzy, suddenly curious. "What have you heard about the stars?"
Zyzzy smiled as Anjali craned
"Oh, lots of things! Everybody has a different story about those shining lights in the sky... the birds think their ancestors poked them into the sky with their beaks. Some think the galaxy is another ocean above us, and that the stars are the shining scales and fins of celestial fish swimming about up there! Some humans think they fell from the sky to the earth. The word "Tsalagi", or Cherokee, means 'star-people'." He looked over to his intently listening friend with a grin, in full story-telling mode at this point, happy that Anjali seemed genuinely interested and not bored like a lot of his companions often were. He loved them all with all of his hearts, but they wouldn't know a good story if it hit them on the head.
"Some say there are shapes in the stars that represent animals or people the gods- other gods, from other places- put up in the sky to remember them forever. Try to find something that looks like this in the sky," and he began to draw with his hoof in a small patch of moss on the rock, to create what looked like a square with a long line running off of it. He then drew 4 lines at the bottom corners of the square, and a sideways triangle on the 'front' end. "If you find that, its called The Great Bear. The story is a god's wife was jealous at the attention another maiden was recieving, so she turned the other woman into a bear. This bear came across the couples' son, who almost shot it... the god, named Zeus, threw them both up into the sky to prevent either of them from being hurt. And there they are, the Great Bear, another constellation called the Big Dipper inside of him."
He wandered about once more, eyes on the sky, nearly falling off the side at one point in his lack of focus on his immediate surroundings. He pretended it didn't happen, hoping Anjali simply hadn't noticed. "There are lots of things up there, according to some... bears, lions, fish, humans... even a deer." He grinned at that. "Some say there are whole other worlds up there, inhabited by beings just like us, and on some, so different you wouldn't know what to think," and he chuckled a little, imagining what Anjali was seeing in his mind of other planets and beings up in the sky. "Anything you can imagine is up there. Whaddaya think of that?"
Anjali, in fact, did not see
The sound of silence startled Anjali out of his thoughts, and he realized Zyzzy had asked a question. He blinked to clear the cosmos from his eyes, and shook his head wonderingly. “I think if anyone else had told me all that, I wouldn’t believe it. But I do.” Somehow, he knew that the Doctor was telling the truth; he instinctively felt that the silver stag had a deep connection to the heavens above. Anjali sighed—he was pleasantly tired from the day, and glad to be sharing this time with a friend. The stars’ light gathered strength as even more points of light appeared, and their faint illumination on his fur felt calming and healing.
Healing…
Anjali turned to his teacher. “Zyzzy, do you think you could teach me one more thing about healing, before the day is over?” he asked, wanting to learn just a little bit more of whatever the Doctor could show him.
"Do you think you could teach
Zyzzy tried to think of what else could be learned in short time they had before everything became pitch black... it was surprising what they'd talked about over the day. Surprising what they'd done. From learning- about everything, including each other- to running about like maniacs, to star-gazing, it was quite an eventful day. Zyzzy hadn't enjoyed a day like this in some time. It was a nice reprieve from just bumbling about on his own. He hoped he and Anjali would meet often.
"Hmmm... there are a few more things, I think." He smiled and winked at his friend. "Now, finding them will be a bit tricky in this light, but we can always go look at them later..." he began to hop down from the rocks, searching about the Playground for the ideal growing spot of his sought-after plant. "it's very tall, hollow stems, lots of three-fold leaves and an odd, weed-looking green flower at its top... smells like Juniper... aha!" He finally stumbled upon a small grouping of the plants, in a dark, moist space between two rocks. "Archangelica. Means 'Arch Angel' to many... have you heard anything about angels? They're supposed to be holy. Divine humans with wings that watch over the earth and protect and help the living. Hence, this plant is named for them. It has many uses, including spiritual," Zyzzy said, turning to see his friend. "A lot of people believe that the dried and crushed leaves and flower of this plant will protect them from evil and harm. If they ingest it, carry it on them somehow or simply have it placed on them in a time of crisis, its believed it will help calm the person, and give them great protection... bite it at its trunk and tear it out of the ground, then remove its roots, as well as its leaves and flowers, and leave them somewhere they won't be disturbed to dry."
"And there are so many others that do the same thing," the Doctor said as he turned, looking for other plants in the area. "Many plants are physically medicinal as well as mentally, emotionally or spiritually. The scent of some help calm you down, others help you sleep... some are believed to bring other effects, like luck, love or protection. Some are used for bad things, like cursing, but there are still things that can help reverse those effects, if you know where to find them. There are hundreds of plants, flowers, roots, barks and even things like rocks and dirts from certain places that can go into healing and helping. Its a very long road, with many things to learn... and yet there are still things you won't be able to prevent, or even help. That's something you must already know, but you really need to remember." There was a touch of sadness to his voice as he said it. "Its hard knowing you can't help someone, but its a fact... the good news is, you can still help most of them!" And with those words he instantly cheered. "The key to it is to simply put your whole self into it. Heal with your medical knowledge, but also help heal others with your mind and your soul. You're going to be not just a healer, but a root doctor, a priest and a therapist!" He laughed a bit at that. "Are you ready for it all? We've hardly just begun, after all."
lol, days with the Doctor
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Anjali had followed the Doctor about the rocks, and now looked down at the Archangel plant, sniffing its tufts of green flowers curiously. He tried to listen attentively to what the Doctor said, but he was growing sleepy after the long day.
"You're going to be not just a healer, but a root doctor, a priest and a therapist!...Are you ready for it all? We've hardly just begun, after all."
Anjali's ears pricked up at these words. All those titles sounded so intimidating! He was suddenly a bit daunted by the prospect of learning to become all those things. But Zyzzy's voice sounded almost prophetic as he spoke, and Anjali thought that—with the help of his new-found teacher and others—he just might be able to do it.
"Yes...yes, I think I'm ready." But the determined expression on Anjali's face was suddenly contorted into a yawn, and he laughed a little. "Well...maybe I'm not ready for it all tonight." But in time...
Anjali sprang back up the rocks. By now the sun had set completely, and the sky was filled to its limit with tiny white fires. The Forest was quiet for the moment: no churring of birds or calls of deer echoing through the trees. Only the reedy trill of crickets occasionally broke the silence.
The buck laid down on the tallest rock—which was still a little warm from the heat of the day—and hoped his friend would join him up here, again. He had one more question for Zyzzy, before sleep.
"Doctor...you've seen what my home is like. What did yours look like?" he called down to the silver deer, as he peered over the edge of the mossy stone.
LOL, this is true xD At least
Zyzzy was more than glad to hear Anjali's decision. The world needed more healers... and should anything malevolent enter the forest again, as it apparently had before, someone could help fight its effects. The injured could be helped, the weak could be protected. And Zyzzy had known almost from the time they met that Anjali was right for the job... he was happy, and grateful in a way, that he was willing to take it all on.
Suddenly the buck vanished from his side though, hoof-claps heard pounding off stone as Anjali made his way back up the rocky hill, back to where they had stood before. Laying down, head peering over the side, he asked what Zyzzy's home looked like. The grey stag slowly made his way back up the rockface, laying himself by Anjali, and sighed wistfully, taking a glance back at the sky, now completely dark and shimmering brilliantly with stars. He'd have to make it short, lest his friend simply fall asleep in the middle of his nostalgic rambling... there was so much to say about that world, though. He'd try to keep it short, then. No promises.
He looked over at the younger deer with a smile. "Oh, it was magnificent... we had red grass there, you know. Brilliantly red... when our suns set over those fields, it looked like the world was on fire. We had trees with twisted trunks and branches, it looked like two trees of different colors wound together, those colors signifying what the fantastic fruits and leaves they bore were good for. Simple food, healing, magic... purples and greens and fiery reds and oranges and blues, all twisted together as messages for the people of what trees suited their purposes. Mountains that gleamed like they were made of polished stones stood like sentinels to the west, and in the east were rolling hills of wild flowers and tightly-knit woods. And there's so, so much more... our cities, bustling like giant steel beehives with creatures of all kinds, schools where we were taught to hone our medical and magical skills, though that wasn't always necessary... we were born with these traits, you see, and all it took was simple experience to get accustomed to it, which could be found every minute... it was a place you'd have loved to see, Anjali. People you would have loved to meet. Truly wonderful."