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[ Warning: Tracking virus
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Odd, I could have sworn I
...Hiding in the trees made me laugh. xD
Heh so that's who has been
Yes, she's become suddenly
At first Cypher, seemed
Run...I must... Run. was the first thought that ran through Cypher's head. It was all he had known: if someone gets too near, run or be put behind bars. However, he had already accepted the consequences for his past actions. There was a reason the AoM had sent him here and it was time to find out more about this world, and perhaps experience a life he had never known. Yet deep within his soul, he could feel the conflicting feelings begin to battle for dominance of his mind. He had to push thoughts aside. He had to silence the voice that tormented him.
After hesitating, he stepped out from his tree disguise. He tipped his fedora in the "doe's" direction, "Evening."
.... Needless to say he was a man of few words...
Quill had been approaching
With a smile, the little red creature trotted up to the tree in which the deer was hiding. Her voice was soft, but with a hint of another laugh on the edge of it. "Y'know, yer a terrible hider, buddy, if yer hidin'. You really oughta pick better spots ta hide in." Noting the fedora, her head tilted to the side.
"A man with manners, if I say so myself. 'lo, there. So why you hidin' in such obvious places?"
Cypher gave an embarrassing
"My dear, have you not heard? The greatest place to hide is right under one's nose!" He stood straight and tall while puffing his chest out with pride in his makeshift lie. His vest glistened in the setting sun.
"Ah. Allow me to introduce myself. The name is Cypher and may I say, you have an intoxicating laugh."
"Not when the eyes above the
"Cypher it is, is it? Curious name, but then again, I ain't one to judge that kinda stuff. Call me Quill, if you prefer if over 'you' or 'red tiny thing'." This time, Quill snorted.
"Well, thank ya. You've got a nice little vest-hat combo goin' on there. Very classy." She nodded in approval, flicking her ears and stifling her laugh.
Another chuckle escaped from
Cypher rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. He had been sitting still for awhile observing the pair of stags who had been having a quiet conversation. It felt good to stand and walk again. Typically though he preferred to be on his own. The voice was telling him to be alone. It begged for him to lash out at the uninvited guest, to chase her away for a criminal did not deserve company or comfort. But that is who he was. Not who he is. Though the rebellious, unpredictable nature still ran through his veins and dwelled within his subconscious. A part of him was afraid the voice would take over again but for now, it seemed as if he was in control.
And he was not about to let fear rule him.
"If you do not mind me saying, your eyes are twinkling with a lovely delight."
She decided to do a little
"Miss! Just Quill, Mister Cypher. I ain't no fancy little thing. Well, well! Yer manners are impeccable, Cypher." She pranced under his stomach then out again. Quill enjoyed being close to other deer, though she was aware this often disconcerted them. The little deer tried not to scare off too many potential friends, but hey, what could you do if they were all skittish? She shrugged her shoulders, in imaginary conversation with herself.
...And then she realized that she'd left a rather awkward pause hanging in the air.
"Oh! Thank ya, dear. Yer much too kind and entertaining at that!"
His eyes widen a bit from
"Pardon me then. And I am afraid that I will need to disappoint you, dear, for I am not 'mister' myself. I am quite the opposite really... More of a bastard or a sonvabitch. Those are the name I am more acquainted to." There was no shame in his voice as he grinned with pleasure. It was almost as if the words held no offense to him which is no surprise. He had heard so many call him either or the names and at times both. Shop owners, neighbors, the police... All refereed to him with a vulgar manner but it was the life style he had grown accustom to.
But perhaps speaking so nastily would be the wrong idea for an introduction, "Entertaining, you say? Well that is certainly one thing I would not dub myself, but if it brings such a sweet smile to your pretty little face than so be it. I shall be entertaining till the day I die."
The happiness that lingered over Quill seemed like it was refreshing to her. Perhaps something has been troubling her...? Cypher silently wondered to himself. A sliver of him wanted to ask. It must have been the tiny bit of normality that was buried somewhere deep down in his soul. A piece of normality that he did not even know existed upon the twisted thoughts and sickened feelings that typically made up his personality.
But the voice won the battle. He choose to keep quiet for he needed to keep some distance. At least the voice was granting him permission to escape its clutch for the time being, allowing him to speak to Quill. It would be wrong of him to not obey the voice. After all, he needed to thank the voice. So he kept his personal thoughts to himself to please the voice.
Glancing up at his
"How sweet! 'Fraid you couldn't stop even if you tried, though. Just keep tryin' to hide in them little trees, buddy. Though the only thing you might be 'fraid of would be me laughin' 'til I die!" Spying some mushrooms nearby, she nipped one off and devoured it, feeling a lingering burst of magic.
With a sly grin, she crept close, suddenly releasing the spell in a burst of light. He'd made her even more playful than normal--which was really saying something. With a hop, she bounded off, waiting for his reaction.
The small doe pranced around
Suddenly, a glow of light flashed around him. His eye mask disappeared and was replaced with a colorfully decorated mask. For a second, his heart stopped. Did Quill see his real face...? Did she catch a glimpse of the real him...? He prayed that she did not as the masks changed. He relaxed when he realized that she did not notice anything. With a sigh of relief, he approached closer. He was still new to the ways of magic in the Forest but the only way to learn more about it was through experimentation. Eating plants gave the residents temporary unique powers that changed the appearance of others around them. [i]It could be a powerful tool one day.[i]
Cypher began to chase after her as his curiosity lead him, "A strange stag lives a strange life. Tis how my life has always been but nowadays I cannot imagine a normal life. After all, we live in such a mythical place that can steal away one's identity with a simple flick of another's antlers."
He examined the mushrooms growing on the side of the tree's bark. They were a dark red, brownish color. A color that he had never seen before. Lifting his head, he took a bite of the mushrooms and cast a spell on Quill. As he watched her own appearance change before his eyes, he grinned but there was something about the way he smirked. Something that an onlooker could consider menacing.
Quill noticed the confusion
That thought was quickly erased by the wash of light over her face, revealing a lumpy white shape on her previously smooth face. With a petulant look, she shook it off. As it fell to the ground, the mask disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Quill rolled her eyes.
"Thank ya for that, buddy. Ya couldn't have chosen a better mask?" She seemed about to say more, but then she caught the look on his face. She knew that look. The long scar on Quill's face seemed more vibrant as she blanched, though only for a second. She regained her composure and bounce in an effort to hide that.
"'Ey, Cypher. You okay?" she called, head tilted to the side and quite ready to run if the need presented itself.
Cypher could sense the
With a leap, he was at her side. The concept of "play" was still new to him but for her sake, he would give it a chance. However, he knew no games or even truly knew how fun felt. The deer here did not gamble or fight or drink. They only ran about like crazed animals which was something that he had never done, "So tell me... How does one spend their time here in this place?"
1. I did add some details to his biography about him if he were a human, but there is a lot that can be added.
2. I might not be in the Forest tonight. I have a bit of a MMO addiction and just recently purchased Rift. Today's a new patch. So... I'm so tempted to play it to see all the new things.
Startled at his sudden
"Alright, jus' checkin'. You never can tell." Shaking off her nervousness, Quill managed to come closer again. Hearing his question, she stopped a moment to think. She was fairly new here too, still learning the ropes. In fact, some of them were rather... surprising. Quill shook that thought out fiercely, not about to think about her.
"Well, I guess you could say it depends on whatcha like. There's games of spelling, meaning them bright flashes of light. There's running and jumping. Dancing. I like to sit by the pond on occasion. Mother's tears make for a nice, cool dip, y'know. Otherwise, I mostly spend it 'sploring. Mother likes seein' all of the Forest. I've heard there's some stags like to spar and that sorta thing. " Thinking for a moment, she deemed this to be a good answer.
"Guess you can do most whatever you like."
((-goes to read through them!-
Rift looks awesome. o:))
Strange spell casting,
He grinned again, but this time from pleasure, "Sparring you say? That could be interesting. Though I lack the funds for a proper bid..." His blue eyes looked to the side as he briefly remember a boxing match he attended a few years ago. The thrill and excitement that hung in the fair as the two heavy weights went at each other had made him ecstatic. The adrenaline lead him to place a hefty bet upon which he lost. The night ended with him bloodied and bruised on the street corner after a brawl from his newly found debt. That was a night he would surely not forget but its warning did not keep him out from betting.
He shook his head as he began to stride around in a circle around her. Even with being trained to spy on others, he could not help but feel antsy once in awhile, "Did you say mother? Quill, I am not the type of stag you want to take home to Mommy."
Rift is alright. I was enjoying myself until a huge world event occurred. These giant rifts (hence the game's name) opened up all over the land and a bunch of enemies ranging from 5 levels below me and 5 levels above me appeared. I kept dying, so I stopped. Sadly though I need to go to sleep soon. It's almost 2am where I live and I have work in the morning.
"If yer talkin' about
Then again, she didn't know where these thoughts came from; perhaps her vivid dreams of a two-legged creature with a face like hers. Well, at least she knew they liked gambling!
Following his lead, she began to trot alongside him, taking two to three steps for every one of his. Unfortunately, this tired her out somewhat quickly. Quill sat down on the grass, watching him.
"Mother Idol. Have ya met her? She's the one who cries the tears for the pond, y'see. I don' think she'd hate ya or anything, if yer worried about that. She'd be more curious if anything. Don'tcha worry, Cypher." Of course, the Idol wasn't her real mother, per se; she had some vague sense of having some other attachment, somehow, but couldn't quite put a hoof on what it could be.
[[As a random note, Quill does exist as a human, but believes that her human side is a dream.
Ew. D: That sounds pretty bad. xD
Alright! ^^]]
No valuables? Goddamn it...
Cypher had glanced over his shoulder to see Quill resting in the grass. Typically his first reaction would have been to take it as an opportunity to dash away but he had grown to enjoy the company of another. It was a feeling that was both alluring and frightening. He was not the type to let others near him but the doe seemed to share a piece of his twisted way of life. He did not feel threatened by her and decided to join her in the cool grass. The voice seemed to have begun to rest. It granted a more time of peace but he could not help but wonder how long the peace would last.
"Can't say I have," he replied as he tucked his long legs beneath his body. "But I assure you. I am not the type you want to be mixed in with."
"And what type would that be?
Musing, she looked down at the grass, then glanced over to the river. Beyond there was the entity that had welcomed her here at a price. With a soft grunt, she noted the dark pulsing at the edges of her vision. Normally, she could ignore them, save when she took the time to notice them. They weren't a bother.
"Seems this place is some kinda paradise. I haven't seen nobody starving or anything. Nobody seems to die, just gets close to it with their stupid lil' brawls. We all recover real quick, too." For a moment, her gaze flickered on him. He was a mystery, but Quill enjoyed mysteries. They often lead to something dangerous and fun.
A smirk embraced Cypher's
His ears flickered as he thought he heard the faint sound of something in the distance. Since his employment with the AoM, he had undergone training to notice unnatural phenomenons that may occur. This new training mixed with his observant personality worked well together. He seemed strangely on edge for an unknown reason. He gazed around but noticed nothing. It was too strong of a presence to shrug off but he decided to drop his guard with no threat in sight.
Quill was still guarded,
"You sure everything's okay, Cypher?" she asked quietly, attempting to catch his gaze. Noticing that he seemed suddenly tense, she turned her ears backwards, listening. Her dark eyes closed for a moment, trying to hear anything he might be hearing. If there was a threat nearby, she'd want to know about it too. Her voice had a rough edge to it when she spoke, as if she too was on edge.
"Somethin' has gotta be up with the way yer actin'. What's wrong? Now tell me honest and I won' have to hurt you." Her eyes opened and something glittered in them; clearly, this had been a weak attempt at a joke, though the serious undertone was still there.
Electricity shot through his
Quickly, he jumped to his feet and pranced a few feet away from her. He shook his head furiously from side to side trying to silent the voice. "Gaaaah...." he moaned to himself as his heart rate increased. Closing his eyes tightly, he tried to steady his breathing. His breaths became short and sharp. His chest caved in with each gasp of air. His body was stiff as he hunched over gagging. The voice kept screaming at him but he managed to push it back. At least for now...
A cold sweat dripped down his neck as he shook his whole body. He still felt numb and weak, but at least he was in control. A mixture of fear and anger swirled in his eyes as he gazed behind him towards Quill, "It's... Nothing..."
"If that's nothing, then I'm
The deer shook herself, ruffling up her red fur and looking up.
"Now, it ain't my business to pry, but something's wrong with you, Cyph." She caught the anger and fear in his eyes, meeting it with a calm, appraising look. Trotting closer, she nudged up against him, then backed off, observing. Quill's curiosity was peaked, along with her stubbornness.
"I ain't gonna ask what it is, but I think yew should come with me. Mother's Tears might cool yew off, seein' as you ain't lookin' too good. Maybe some blueberries too. 'Ave ya eaten lately?" she queried, already starting towards the stream.
That feeling.... That feeling
Quill's touch was unexpected. He could feel the voice's fury run cold through his veins. The voice told him that physical contact was forbidden and wrong. All the contact he experienced in his life was painful. The only time he felt another deer touch him was in fights. He was use to the sharp pain of antlers digging into his hide or the feeling of heavy hooves smashing down into his skin; but the tender feeling of a doe was something he never felt. It both bothered him and in some way comforted him.
This is wrong... he thought quietly to himself. His eyes had dulled again from exhaustion from his panic attack. Still shaking from the shot of adrenaline, he looked down at Quill who was now standing beside him. He was not sure of what to say. The voice was telling him to leave. It was telling him to run but something else inside of him told him to stay.
"I... I..." frozen in place by his own thoughts, Cypher stumbled over words. He was finding it to be difficult to keep his chivalry. "I need a drink."
"Can't say we've got anything
"You sure do look like you need one. Water first. Come on." She motioned to him with a flick of an ear, trotting forward again. The wind pushed back the hair she'd fluffed up, smoothing it along her sides. If anyone could see her, her eyes were glittering with concern for him. What if he was some kind of mental patient? Quill shook her head. He needed help.
"Whatever it does, sure can't make you worse." Tossing her head, she looked straight forward, simply assuming he'd follow.
"We got poppies too. Pretty calming. I like 'em, though I mostly wear 'em." Quill laughed a little, in an attempt to lighten the mood.
"No gin? No whiskey? Vodka?
With a few deep breaths, he collected his thoughts and calmed himself down. Embarrassment wiped across his face before fading to his typical cryptic appearance, "Sure, whatever you've got I'll take... Lead the way, my good lady, but I ensure that I will cover the bill."
[[ Oh lawrd I'm actually
Super tracking, because fedoras are sexy. ]]
"Ain't no bill, Cyph. 'member
When she was fairly sure he'd caught up, she spoke from below.
"Come on down. Hope ya aren't afraid to get wet, eh? Might cool ya off after yer moment." Quill seemed hardly bothered now, intent on helping instead. Lowering her small head, she took a long drink from the cold pool.
-creepy stalker alert- I am
Anyways...CARRY ON -cough-
"A modern day doe I see,"
Wincing occasionally, he tried to hide the pain to not worry Quill. For a reason unbeknown to him, he felt the need to protect her from the truth. The voice was not pleased with his choice. He continued to ignore it.
Water babbled in the distance as if it were whispering to the near by trees. A cool summer breeze answered back. A sweet serenade sang around them but all Cypher could focus on was the maddening whispers within his own head, destroying any chance a peace that the scene could have brought. He saw the flash of red from Quill's pelt disappear into the creek below. Her voice called out to him, luring him down a path to a temporary sanctuary. Once at the water's edge, he began to undress. His vest was quite expensive; there was no reason to ruin it. Lowering his head, he unbuttoned it and tossed it onto a near by branch. He tugged his tie off and rested it beside the vest. All that remained was his long-sleeved shirt and the fedora upon his head. Carefully, he slid down the slope into the creek. The dip felt refreshing upon his body, but his head still pounded.
"I do not believe that I have had poppy," Cypher spoke softly as he sat down, allowing the water to rush over his tensed muscles. "Or mushrooms. Or any of the cuisine here for that matter."
Shi, I saw Eiros in the Forest the other day. Cypher actually observed Soona and Eiros but did not want to interfere with their beautiful interaction. But I do feel bad for not spending time with him.
Quill weaved beneath the twin
After resting her face there for a moment, she leaped from the stream, going around the back of the Idol. Poppies grew in abundance there and she picked up a few on her small antlers. She glanced at the various items of clothing on the bank and laughed silently. He definitely wasn't one to underdress, was he?
She slid down the bank, splashing into the water rather ungracefully and likely splashing Cypher. Oh well. Keeping the poppies dry, she offered them to Cypher. "Dunno if they'll do anything for you, but they calm me down plenty." As if to back up this statement, she settled down near him, looking incredibly at ease. Her eyes were half-closed and she sighed quietly.
"Guess we'll have to have you sample all the cuisine 'round here, Cyph. I haven't tried the blueberries myself, but the mushrooms sound delicious." With a frown, she shook the remainder of the poppies off. She always felt pulled somewhere when she wore them, for whatever reason. Maybe some errand Mother wanted her to run, but she wasn't interested in just that moment.
"As for your remark, I prefer to think of myself as 'forward-thinking'." A wide grin flashed across her face.
Oddly, the water was very
His eyes followed her movements as she picked the poppies for him. As he watched her, a strange feeling clinched around his stomach. What is this...? His eyes darted from side to side behind his mask as he fell into deep thought. Concern... Friendliness... Kindness... My God... Why doesn't she realize I don't deserve this? His thoughts were disturbed by a suddenly splash beside him. He looked over to see her sitting at his side with poppies in her mouth; her own mind seemed to have been twisted within her own inner conflicts.
Another gut wrenching emotion struck him. A feeling that caused him to avoid her gaze as he accepted her gift. This.... This isn't meant to happen. Shaking the thoughts away, he gathered the courage to look at her again.
"Perhaps some time we will need to spend some time taste testing."
Quill shook water from her
After a moment, she looked up and studied him.
"Yew avoided my eyes when I gave you those poppies. Any particular reason?" With a twist, she rolled back on her stomach, curling her legs under herself and continuing to look up. After a moment, she looked away, following the course of a poppy downstream. Perhaps he wasn't calmed by their scent like she was. In fact, she doubted anybody was. They seemed to lull her into some other state entirely; nobody else ever reacted like that. Still, they'd help in some other way.
Quill shot a glance at the tall idol, trying to see into her eyes. She flicked an ear at Cypher, nodding up at the Idol.
"Mother likes yew, I think." The deer laid her head down on the cool stone just to the right of her, closing her eyes.
"Taste testing. Sounds just fine to me, it does."
The brightly colored poppies
The doe was resting calmly beside a large humanoid stone. His eyes looked up and down, studying the stone. A luring aurora illuminated from it as it stared down at the pair with hollow soulless eyes. Two waterfalls ran down the smoothed face as if they were tears.
Anxiety ran over him. Cypher pulled his ears back flat against his scalp as he returned the statue's gaze. He could not help but wonder if it was judging him. And if it was... Oh the things it would see and learn about him.
All his lies.
His drinking.
His gambling.
His fights.
It was easy to hide his true nature from another, but from a spirit that acted like the voice? He knew he could not keep his black heart a secret.
"Mother...?" he asked with a gulp as his eyes locked with Quill's. "I thought I mentioned that it would not be a good idea to introduce me to her. After all... We have yet to have a first date." His last sentence was a pathetic, wary attempt at a joke to avoid causing tension.
"You didn't answer my
God forbid if he was thinking about that. Quill supposed she'd have to tell him sooner or later, to be sure he wasn't getting the wrong idea. Unfortunately, if he already had it, well...that would only make it worse.
"This here lady welcomed me into this world. 's only appropriate that I call her Mother." That pulse at the edge of her eyes meant the Idol was listening more carefully. She seemed pleased, though. The Idol was curious, she could tell. Why, she had no idea.
Well, he certainly was a character.
"We won't be havin' any dates, dear, so no worries about introducing ya. Also, she can't 'xactly move, so ya don't have to worry about her kickin' yew out or anythin'." Perhaps he'd take the hint.
It seemed is his attempt at
He noticed Quill's wince. Obviously, he had given off the wrong impression. If living in this world was as difficult as it had been thus far, then a relationship was truly the last thing he'd need. After all, he could not keep his charade up forever. And the voice surely would not approve.
"Well then, it seems as if I have overstepped my stay," he rose to his feet. His pelt dampened by the water sparkled in the light as if his fur was coated with a diamond glaze. With a great leap, he jumped to the shore line and walked towards his belongings. "I apologize, milady, for any upsetting thoughts you might have endured." He glanced up at the stone before returning his gaze back to Quill. Politely he tipped his hat her way in attempt to make admen.
"'ey, buddy! Don't leave! I
"Look, yer a nice guy an' all, but...let's just say guys don't exactly attract my attention. Or love. That there would be the main fact on why I won' be datin' you, nothin' else. Here's hopin' I didn't give yew the wrong impression an' all. Guess I'm just friendly." With a small sigh, she plopped down, looking at him through a sideways glance. It wouldn't be a surprise if he walked away; others had done it before.
"Yer welcome to go if that makes yew uncomfortable." Quill shrugged, looking at him straight on with a glint of defiance in her eyes.
As Quill shuffled about going
"I... you... What?" stun-founded he stood before her with pure confusion on his face.
The confusion on her face
"I fall in love with girls, not guys. Or well, I at least like them better." Love wasn't really her thing. Sure, short-term flings, times she thought would last, those were okay. She just hadn't settled down for the long-term, hadn't found the right one.
With a shrug, she lifted herself to her feet, thinking about the origins of her scar for a moment. Then she shook her head and glanced straight up at him.
"Izzat clear now?"
Cypher's expression remained
"No no... I understand that just perfectly. I rest assure you," he stepped out into the sunlight to begin drying himself as their conversation continued. "Tis a shame though that a pretty little thing like you has eyes of another way, but to each their own I say." It felt right to say but he knew it was the wrong thing to say. Inside of his mind, he could hear the voice laughing with amusement at his failures. It savored the taste of his newly found emotional torture for even in his state of great confusion, a sliver of disappointment had buried itself within him. The voice was pleased greatly by this. It would not let him forget.
At this point, he was unsure of where he wanted to lead the conversation. Clearly his lack of exactly socializing skills had failed; killing any enjoyment with their conversation. Stretching, he could feel the water lifting from his pelt. The warmth felt good after the refreshing bath. Now if only the rest of the day would feel as fine as the sunshine.
As he watch Quill rise to her feet, he noticed a scar beneath her mask. His eyes narrowed as he tried to examine it without being more awkward. Blinking, he broke his concentration on it and returned back to her eyes.
The air that Quill had been
"Glad ya get it. I was afraid I was gonna lose you, Cyph! No, I wouldn' want that." Despite being ready for it, she had hoped he would accept it. With a smile, she suddenly noted his eyes on her scar. Her eyes darkened and her ears pinned back.
"Cain't say I know exactly where I got the scar," she muttered, looking off to the side once more.
"Let's jus' say that my dreams about it are unpleasant, even if I dunno what they mean." Quill shook her head violently, as if to clear out the thoughts.
"Say, yer pretty new 'round here, right? Mebbe I should show yew 'round this place. There's plenty enough to see and it's all real pretty." Now she was bouncing a little, eager to get going and distract the poor stag. Ruins first, then De Drinkplaats...Or maybe the Gods first...Her mind was whirring with plans.
His body stiffened slightly
Cypher stood straight, somewhat pushing Quill off of him. But why...? Fear? Yes, he recognized it as fear but what was it that he was so afraid of? Was he afraid of her knowing the truth he hide? Was he afraid of conviction again? Or was he afraid of losing her as well...?
All these new thoughts and emotions hit him like a ton of bricks. He somewhat stumbled to the side as he lowered his head to gather his thoughts. Why do I care...? he asked himself as he lifted his head again to look back at her. She seemed to not have fully noticed his "moment" for she was still bouncing around and talking a mile a minute. He kept watching her as he pushed his thoughts to the side. It was too much to think about at the moment; and he knew it would lead to another mental war. For now, it was best to avoid it.
"I have seen a few places," quickly he said as he tried to keep up with her pace of speaking. "While investigating the land, I had gone pass a few leisure locations, but I have not spent time at any of them. So please, my dear, lead the way."
"Mebbe the Gods first." With
Quill took a moment to think, ears pinned back. Cypher was surely hiding something, but in this forest, who wasn't? Deer surprised her most of the time with what they hid. Quietly, she agreed with herself that she would be prepared this time. Whatever he did, she would counter it and survive it. Shaking her head, she raised her ears again, beginning to talk.
"Up here's these statues they call the Twin Gods. I've seen deer prayin' to them, though I've never really wanted to myself. My guess is they're the main religion 'round here." She led the way up the hill, looking up at the much taller statues.
"Real nice, ain't they?"
The flash of red stood out
With a leap, he jumped across the creek with his eyes somewhat fixed on the crying statue that overlooked the waterfront. The voice seemed to hiss at it, like a cat warning off danger. As he stared into the black voided eyes, he continued to feel a great sense of judgment over him. For a second he could have sworn that the idol's tears flowed heavier. Could it have been mourning for him...?
He stumbled to the ground on the opposite side. The pressure from landing on solid soil distracted him from his concerned thoughts as he returned to look at the direction that Quill had gone in. She was hard to see in the distance. With her size, he could easily loose her in the forest floor. He caught up her with the his vest flapping in the wind as he dashed away from the stream. His tie fluttering between his breaths.
Cypher slowed his pace as he approached the hill. Quill continued to give a small speech as she began towards them in front him. His eyes followed the trail before her to the statues, where he met their gazes. The twin statues stood majestically in the sunlight as they guarded the Forest. Their stone bodies were strong and showed signs of their ancient age. The bright white color they had once been faded with the sun. The rough stone had smoothed from centuries of beatings from cold rain. Their eyes were soulless but Cypher could sense a god-like presence within them. The voice grew more angry. Its hissing grew louder in his head and it began to growl.Crap... They know, don't they?
The statues seemed to be scorning him. He knew for a fact that they were judging him but he figured that was their job. He could feel a foreign entity making its way into his soul, tearing each individual layer of him apart and examining every fiber of his existence. The voice howled in madness as it tried to fight off the entity like it was a virus threatening to infect him with a deadly disease. The inner turmoil made him sick. His stomach turned and the pounding in his head returned, but he choose to hide it. He knew that this was a feeling he would have to learn with, just as he had learned to live in correspondence to the voice. What had infected his mind quickly left. He felt a great sense of anger and disappointment lingering in the air as the statues began to frown down upon him.
Gulping, he took a step backwards, "Yes, quite lovely..." His eyes showed a grave distress as he began to tie his tie around his neck."Religion, eh? I do not blame you for choosing not to."
Quill noted that odd feeling
The doe looked up at the statues, gazing into their eyes. These Gods had to be kinder than the one her parents had taught her about. A look of disgust crossed her face with the thought and she shook her head, ridding herself of the thoughts. Even if they were only in her dreams, a faint imprint, she still disliked them and the feeling they brought her.
Forcing a smile, she nudged him gently. "Religion's never been my kinda thing. Too binding, y'know. Too many rules." Deciding not to ask what was bothering him, since she hadn't learned much of anything yet anyhow, she paced around the statues instead, then popped out the other side to look at him, questioning.
"Only question I got is how a forest of deer managed to carve this. I don't get it. Mebbe they don't even come from here. Mebbe I'll ask Mother later, see what she knows 'bout them. After all, they gotta be about the same age." Seeming to weigh out something in her mind, her gaze suddenly flickered over the tie hanging from his mouth. She stifled a laugh as she came up to it and touched it with her nose.
"Did I catch ya at the wrong time, buddy? Seems I mighta rushed you outta there before yew had time to put that on. Yew need any help?" Her eyes were glinting with hardly contained laughter. He looked so out of sorts, clothes dripping wet and hanging. Shaking her head softly, she looked into the distance, ears perking up.
"I'll show yew the Ruins next...Unless yer the skittish type?" Mischief flashed in her glance beneath the mask along with a challenge.
Religion's never been my
Cypher chuckled at her comment, "You are speaking to the choir, love." It was difficult to live a life as a criminal if one worshiped gods that taught righteousness and believed in strict discipline for stepping out of line. He knew for a fact that the moment he did accept a religion, he would be condemned to hell within seconds. His early missions with the Agency of Mystery showed him the truth behind cults. He refused to live as a lifeless zombie, following satanic commends. So he choose to live a life in the present and only believed in pleasing the voice.
Now partly dressed, he began to button his vest to complete his look, "A bad time? Never. A gentleman can always look his best even in the worst of times." Using his teeth, he fed the plastic button through the slip on the other side. The vest was secure around his slender chest and the tie was now ducked in. Shaking his head, he straightened his fedora. Standing tall and with his head tilted, he struck a pose while looking over at her. Yet despite his welcoming look, a mischievous sparkle glittered in his eyes.
I'll show yew the Ruins next...Unless yer the skittish type?
Another chuckle escaped him. This time he stepped to his side to expose his left leg to her. Around his upper leg, a red band was wrapped tightly. AoM was embroidered into the red material, though he was certain that Quill did not know what it meant. Oh if only she had any idea of the things he had seen during his employment as an operative. The succubi had had avoided, the siren calls he had learned to ignore, the ghosts and demons he had encountered almost daily, and the vampires... He shivered at the thought. He hated the vampires... Nonetheless, skittish was a trait he did not possess.
"Skittish? Not at all."
Noticing his posing, the
"Very handsome, if I do say so myself. Though it don't mean much comin' from me an' all, I s'pose!" Quill was fighting the urge to laugh again, small body convulsing as she held it in.
"Glad yew didn't say yes. I can't tie a tie for my life!" The currently-doe shrugged, which turned into a small stretch. When she straightened up, she glanced at the red band around his leg. AoM. Hmm. Quill noted that, but decided not to ask about it currently. A thought crossed her mind, though only vaguely.
Where in the Forest had he gotten all this stuff? After all, she'd hardly seen fedoras growing on trees.
With a little flaunt, she pranced off in the direction of the Ruins.
"Yew better hope you ain't, Cyph. 'specially not of ghosts. There's plenty of them around there, trapped forever and doomed to wander..." She turned around, winking quickly, then took off at a run, challenging him to keep up.
Quill's laughter was of pure
The speak of ghosts excited him. Perhaps this was why the AoM sent him to the Forest. Perhaps it was his mission to investigate the mysterious hidden within the woods. He always enjoyed interacting with ghosts. Breaking the truth to them about being deceased and seeing the unsettling disappointment in their eyes fed his masochistic hunger. It was why he had no objections to signing his life over to the AoM.
"Sounds interesting..." Cypher's head lowered as his eyes narrowed. His lips curled beneath the shadow that his fedora cast on his face. By this time, Quill had already darted in front of him. He rolled his shoulders to prepare for the run, and then darted after her.
Also, last night when watching Doctor Who, I came across a character that perfectly displays Cypher's cynical look. It was in the episode The Family of Blood. So, just as a reference to anyone, whenever I talk about Cypher's "typical" look, I'm referring to an expression similar to the guy on the far left in the suit. He's suppose to always have an uncomfortable, threatening look to him but it's only the expression that they share. Cypher physically looks different.
The red deer skittered to a
With a small smile, she gave a bow to the tiny idols sitting at the ruins. Quill considered them something like cousins and occasionally came to keep them company. When she was sure Cypher was there, she rested her head on the smallest one.
"I consider these my cousins. They don't talk, though, but I think they're still livin'. Mebbe they'll talk when they get more comfertable." The red deer shrugged, motioning the stag to follow her around the sides. There were many graves of all shapes and sizes, sticking up from the ground. Some were decaying and ancient, while a few looked much younger, as if some deer had only just recently died. Moss hung above them in long strands, making the ruins look even older. Crumbling pillars looked like they could fall at any minute, yet somehow they still stood.
Quill glanced quickly at the rusting cage in the center, then looked away. Something about it almost worried her, but she didn't dwell on it too much. Instead, she trotted to one of the biggest graves and gestured at it.
"Sometimes deer 'round here die. Doesn't happen too often, but gen'rally they're buried here. I don't think all of these are dead deer, tho'. Some of 'em seem too old. Can yew feel the ghosts 'round here? Guess they like lingerin'." The deer shrugged, staring down into the dirt as if she could see what was buried beneath. Her ears flicked as if to catch some sound, maybe the moan of a long-dead deer.
"Then again, not all of 'em stay 'round here. I seen ghosts all across the forest. Guess they're the hangers-on. The ones who don't wanna let go. Some'd say we're all ghosts, but I don' believe that..."
After a few seconds, she motioned to him to follow her around the other side. Her dark glance fell over the deep, covered hole.
"This here...Well, nobody quite knows what it is. Might be some big communal grave underneath this lid, I dunno. Still, nobody can lift it and nobody's tried. Could be some horrible thing down there." Quill shuddered a little, but made an effort to hide it. As she walked to the other side, she pointed out the graves once more, all in the same various states of decay. Stopping near the front of the Ruins, she pointed to a large hole in its center, just behind the rusting cage.
"That there hole leads down to darkness. It's gen'rally sealed at the bottom, but sometimes yew can find a hole that leads deeper down. Never have wanted to go there meself." Quill shook herself as if ridding her pelt of invisible dust.
"De Drinkplaats next." Quill nodded to herself, turning back to make sure he was following.