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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 3:47 pm
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Imminent chuckled as he stoked the fire. "Hurt me? No, though given your dexterity and nimbleness, I admit I would loathe a sword fight against you." He stood up and drew his dagger. "And I don't say that often." He knelt down by the meanki, and with two flicks of the wrist, cut the binds.
Sitting back on the log opposite the fire, he watched her with calculation. "So, you have others within you also. This is what drove you from so-called society, yes?" Blunt, and to the point, as was his way.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 4:27 pm
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Imminent snapped the bone of the leg he'd been chewing on and sucked out the marrow, licking his lips as he thought about what she'd told him. "Your family are fools," he said bluntly, "what is more crazy? They no doubt live a life of monotony, same thing every damn day, reigning in their impulses and putting upon a mask that smiles at those around them."
He leaned back, legs crossed at the ankles. "They consider us the crazy ones, because we choose to live by our rules, little one. They choose to ignore the fascinating, and unique gift you have been given." He smiled at the meanki, and it was surprisingly warm and... affectionate? "I, on the other hand, find it interesting enough to hold my attention."
Glancing up at the slowly darkening sky, the felicorn sat up and began pulling his armor off while he waited to see her response.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 4:40 pm
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Marina turned her eyes away for a moment, her face feeling flushed. She had never taken enough time to spend around a male before. She knew, however, that he was stunning and he had her caught off guard on many different levels. She closed her eyes as if pretending to enjoy the air beginning to cool off as the night settled in.
Oh, the fantasies that ensued as she closed her eyes. The fantasies of him. Of engaging in a fight with her brother, Tal. Of blood. Of suffering. This was not like her, she was usually the one toying with the hearts of men, letting their sad emotions dangle before them. She'd shatter hearts without thinking twice of it.
This one had her head spinning with fear, attraction and confusion. Was he being sincere or was he just as good at mind games as she was?
"I appreciate the kind words, but please don't make the 'mistake' of believing that I'm safe. Even if I...Marina...am safe..the ones that come around are anything but. The compassion you show is refreshing, whether it's genuine or not. I apologize for the trust issues, I'm sure you can understand seeing as how you've received the shortened version of my family woes."
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 5:08 pm
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Imminent paused in taking off his breastplate, looking up to blink at the meanki seconds before throwing his head back with a thunderous laugh. "'Safe'? I am a killer and mercenary, little one! I gave up being 'safe' years ago. If I wanted to be safe, I would be one of those weakling city dwellers, cowering at the shadows and praying to the gods that those like me wouldn't notice!"
He tossed the chest plate and sat down on the log. The fire light highlighted the scars that crisscrossed his chest and stomach. Some where thin, easy to distinguish as sword cuts. Some looked like something had tried to tear chunks of flesh from his body.
"I am many things, Marina, but one thing I am not, is a liar." He looked up at the meanki sitting across from him. "I see some of me in you, a desire for violence, pain, and bloodshed. Perhaps that is what gives me... 'compassion'," he said the word as if he'd never said it before, "for you. I see a kindred spirit dwelling within, one I rarely see outside my fellow brothers in Death."
((Question, are the rainbow parts part of her natural coloration, or forms of clothing? And is she even wearing anything at this time?))
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 6:06 pm
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"Bah," Imminent waved his hand in disgust, "numbers are the only thing that keeps the cities from falling from those like us. They are weak, pathetic. They grow soft as their wallets grow fat." He picked a log up and threw it on the fire. "I admit to liking towns and villages. Despite being easier to slaughter, they're more 'natural' to me. People work together, everything is interconnected. The blacksmith makes the plow the farmer uses to grow the crops the baker uses to feed the blacksmith."
He watched as the meanki rubbed her hand together, noticed her rainbow coloring. Despite what people thought about him, that he had no appreciation for life, Imminent did enjoy life... mostly killing it, but he enjoyed life outside cities and towns.
The felicorn stood up, joints popping as he stretched with a lazy grace. Imminent stepped around the fire and sat down beside Marina, and traced a finger down her arm slowly, silently admiring the rainbow coloration.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 6:25 pm
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Imminent traced his finger up and down her arm slowly for several more long seconds before stopping. At first, it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything, just stare at the fire.
"Perhaps," he said slowly, "I view cities as vile things because I only see the bad in them. Never have I had someone to show me the 'good' of those sprawling growths upon the landscape." He chuckled softly at her last statement. "I know where my life is heading... more or less. Death and destruction are all I know, they're what I live for. I don't mind that, but..."
He stood up slowly. "There are times, I wish I could see the other things in life besides the deaths of my enemies." He looked up at the night sky. "It's getting late, little one. We should get some sleep. In the morning, you can decide if you wish to join me in my travels, or continue on your own." He smiled down at her. "I swear upon my blade, if you wish to leave, I will not try and stop you."
The felicorn took a step towards the other side, then stopped, face torn with indecision. He then turned around and knelt down beside her. Before she could react, Imminent leaned in, his lips brushing across her cheek before standing back up. Without another word, he stepped back around the fire, seeming to disappear in the night. Seconds later, a rough pillow and bedroll flew over the fire, landing with a thump by her foot.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 6:47 pm
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Imminent listened as Marina went down to the river, probably to wash her clothes was his personal guess. The felicorn was stretched out across the ground, hands clasped behind his head as he went over the events of the day. The morning had been typical, another village burned, but the afternoon had proven far out of the ordinary.
What was it about this particular meanki that was driving him to distraction? He'd dealt with her kind before, had hated majority of the vain little pests. But this one... Marina, she was different. A grin split his lips. And not just because she had more personalities than a theater production.
Hearing her return from the river, he flipped over onto his side and rested his head on his bicep. Time to get some sleep, tomorrow would prove to be an interesting day, regardless the little one's decision.
((Skip to morning?))
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 7:16 pm
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Somewhere off in the distance, there was a faint scream of pain, quickly followed by a bellow of triumph. Nearly a hour later, Imminent crashed through the brush with all the subtlety of an avalanche, a gutted deer over his shoulder. He smiled upon seeing the meanki up and about.
"Morning, little one," he said, setting the deer down by the fire pit. "Sleep well?" His smile turned into a teasing grin. "I would hope so, you have a rather cute little snore," he said, needling her lightly.
Turning back to the deer, he pulled his bloodied knife and began to process the deer for the meat and skin.
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