[PRP] I'll Go If You Go (Shaheen and Shikoba)

[medigel]

"Bothered how?" he prompted, not liking the smile spreading on her lips. It was almost devious in nature - or maybe that was just a trick of the light, or twilight as it were. Shik squinted for the target but found only time to ducked as the star fruit flew over his head, clipping the top part of his hair before it tumbled down to the ground with a mushy thunk.

He was not supposed to be this awful. What the hell.

"It's not mandatory for us to attend," he added, the beginnings of a scowl forming on his face. "And if the others want to go, let them. I wouldn't mind a quieter camp for a few hours, frankly."  

[Seussi]

What the hell, Shik? Are you suddenly a psychiatrist or something? All these questions! "I can't explain it." She retorted. "It just seems wrong." She couldn't contain her laughter anymore when the starfruit went spinning over Shiks head. She could probably take partial blame, her throw having been somewhat without aim. She would have apologized but...well, this was Shaheen. When did she ever apologize for anything?

"Exactly, it's not mandatory, so why so much interest by everyone else? What exactly is so special about this event, and what is it that everyone see's in those students!" She was gesturing with her dagger now, waiting for Shik to throw another fruit that never came. Irritated, she swooped down once more, this time grabbing up several apples in her arms before making her way back upwards once more.

"Here, maybe if I throw more then one you'll have a better chance at hitting something." Another smirk. She then proceeded to whip apples towards him, not really caring if he might end up getting thwacked with one in the process.

A quieter camp? She scoffed. If things got anymore quiet around here, she might actually die from boredom.  

[medigel]

Multiple targets? Now that was just cheating, Shaheen. Although Shik probably liked his women dirty anyway, if how he left the chieftain in the battle was any indicator. Strange, though, how her logic came true.

"You're acting like you want to go," he observed, slicing the first one in half with his weapon, both pieces flying at opposite angles. The second he raked with the talons of his free hand, red ribbons and white flesh exposed to the evening air as it spun like a leaf. And the third, well, he just kicked it back at her. "Is that it? Are you trying to drag me to this event so you can satisfy your own idle curiosity?"

(( Rolled for 3 at once~
1st: 11 (hit)
2nd: 11 (hit
3rd: 9 (barely hit) ))  

[Seussi]

She snorted, which was a terribly unladylike sound, but Shaheen was soooo obviously not a "lady" so that totally made it okay. She had to admire the way Shik so easily was able to slice through the first two apples that came towards him, even as he somehow managed to kick the third her way. Suddenly, her mind felt clear and quiet, and while that apple spun towards her she found herself answering him, even as her dagger appeared in her hand and was thrown into the air towards her target.

"Now is that any way to invite me to go to the prom with you, Shik? If you want me to go with you that badly, just come right out and say it. Don't beat around the eagle's nest." Turning Shiks words around on him in a way that didn't even make sense? Always.

The dagger didn't just sink into the apple, it exploded into it, sending bits of apple mush flying in all directions as the dagger kept on it's merry course through the air and towards Shik. Before it could get anywhere near him, however, she summoned the blade back to her hand and wiped the apple off on her skirt...garb...thing.

Go to prom with Shik? Really, why not! She was well aware that neither of them truely wanted to go, but to have to go just for the sake of curiousity and be absolutely miserable on one's own wouldn't be nearly as fun as having some miserable company to go with her! She gave him her largest, most arrogant grin.

"Admit it, you could do worse for a date then me."  

[medigel]

Her response left him staring unblinkingly even as the apple bits peppered his chin and chest. Did she . . . what was . . . Since when did . . .? The cogs in his head slowed for a moment before whirring back to life, starting with a scoff. "An oak tree would be as stubborn and likable," he countered, wiping the fruit off him. "And quiet." Ye gods, he was going to smell like the stuff by the end of the night.

"I've protested going, but since I know you won't let it go until you have your way: fine. When is it, and what are the requirements for this prom?" Shik asked as he descended back to the ground, wondering if he could evaporate the remaining juices by the fire without staining his clothes further. Normally he wouldn't care about stains of any kind, but . . . fruit.  

[Seussi]

Teasing Shik was always fun, and she could honestly sit here and banter with him all night long and never get bored. But for him to actually become speechless? That gave her almost as good of a feeling as feeling fresh blood spilling out onto her hands. Had bugging Shik always been this much fun? She could remember a time when, for her at least, the insults they threw at each other were far more hostile, full of enmity. When exactly had that even changed? She was sure it had been before the destruction of the Isles....

"But not nearly as beautiful." She replied, though really Shaheen never had cared much for looks, nor did she even know if she might be considered pretty. Certainly she didn't dress as fancy as the horsemen from Conquest or Death. She didn't spend hours in front of a mirror, or spend any time at all on her hair other then to throw in a braid or two. She knew her body was fit, but she was tall, and her frame was somehow curvy yet muscular. She didn't have to the slightest clue if that might be attractive to some or not.

Shaheen made her own descent back towards the ground, almost sad that Shik had given in as quickly as he had. "Protested? Is that what you called it? You were practically begging to go." Again, twisting things around to suit her needs. It had been working so far, hadn't it? She alighted on the ground softly, her wings tucking back in comfortably behind her as she took a few steps towards the other horseman.

"It's formal." She smirked, knowing now that since he'd agreed to go, he would not back out. "So I believe you are required to wear something a little more...appropriate." She gave his current choice of clothing a critical look, even if she did think it suited him just fine. It wasn't like her own outfit was much better, after all.

"And not for a couple of weeks, I think, so you have time to make yourself presentable for me." Oh yes, and she was going to treat this like an actual date. Anything to rile the executioner up more.

Poor Shik.  

[medigel]

"Trees have a quiet beauty, certainly different from your more outspoken one," Shik commented with a raised brow, recovering from his rare moment of tongue-tied confusion. "But then, why compare apples and oranges?"

Speaking of, he took one of the remaining apples from his basket, examined it, and then threw it in the fire, watching with hidden delight as the fruit began to crack and crumble. "Suitable?" He snorted, smirking at the embers. "If they want formal, I suppose I could go sans clothing. Nothing is more ceremonial than the presenting of the body and its perfections and flaws. It would liven the party up at the least."

Did he care what Shaheen thought was presentable? Nope. If he was going to be pulled into this endeavor, he was going to have his say on what he did and wore, because he was godsdamned Shikoba Len, not her toy.

He stared into the fire for a little bit more before walking back to the log he had first been seen at, draping the dikdik corpse over house shoulder. "Now, if I recollect correctly, you hit one and I struck . . . three. As king of the fire for this night, I demand you cut and cook me my meal." Flop went the dikdik by her.

For such a flat-faced horsemen, that sounded particularly childish in its pleasure.  

[Seussi]

Shaheen chose to ignore the tree comment, as it really didn't sound like he was actually insulting her in any way..except to say that she was loud, but she was well aware of that fact so why deny it?

As for the clothing comment, however...Shaheen barked out a laugh, obviously highly amused by his statement. Nudity did not bother her in the slightest, and if she could get away with it, she'd likely never even bother getting dressed every day. Imagine if they both showed up to prom that way? But no, it wouldn't do. They would likely be banned from the festivities and then how would Shaheen have any fun making her dates night a living hell? Well, she supposed she could probably find other ways to do that. "Wear whatever the hell you like, Shik. I am sure whatever you choose will be absolutely stunning, even if you do go sans clothing." Wait, did she just give him some sort of compliment? She had to stop and think about that one for a minute. Well, she had laced her voice with sarcasm, so she'd probably get away with it. She needed to be more careful in the future, though.

"You only hit three because I threw so many more at you then you did at me." She rolled her eyes, lifting up a foot to push at the carcass with a toe. She really was not all that hungry, and cared little about whether Shik got a meal or not. And the terms of their little competition had only been the amount of food each of them got to eat, not how it would be prepared. King of the fire indeed. King of something else Shaheen wouldn't say out loud was more like it!

"Besides, I get extra points for finesse." Seriously, if Shik wanted this carcass cooked, he was going to have to do it himself. Shaheen wasn't having any of that nonsense.  

[medigel]

"And you threw them all at once because you were impatient," he countered, smirking. "Of course, I will happily throw both baskets' contents at you if you feel that would make things even." And then they'd both go to sleep with fruits clinging to their hair and scents that would attract scareflies for miles. Stunning indeed.

It was also convenient that Shaheen gave him the go ahead to do whatever he wanted, because he would have done so anyway without her permission: this just meant he could point out how she'd agreed to let him if, at any point, she decided to object.

"Finesse"! He half-coffed, half-chuckled. "I'll admit that you did a touch better with that one apple than you did most of our battle, in that you actually managed a solid and clean hit," Shik said. And then the humor was gone. "But while I would normally account that to just FEAR fluctuations, I have an inkling more is at work here."

Eyes darted to the gray area of her face.  

[Seussi]

"Don't bother. I wouldn't want to embarrass you any further." Big words coming from somebody who had already lost a spar against Shik earlier that day. It was like that earlier little scuffle hadn't even occurred. But of course, the other horseman just had to bring it up, didn't he? Her smirk turned into more into that of a snarl, like a wild animal baring it's teeth before that slipped away as well and her face fell behind an emotionless mask once more.

"Just leave it, Shikoba." She warned, her voice a growl that couldn't hide her annoyance, even if her face could. "I said I might talk about it, but now that the time has come, I really don't feel like it." And really, she didn't. The thought of opening up to anybody about what she was currently going through was bad enough. The thought of telling him? No, that was somehow ten times worse, though she couldn't pin point exactly why.

"I'll tell you what. I will cut and cook your meal, oh self proclaimed king of the fire, if you'll just leave me alone about this right now. If for some reason, later, your curiosity about my personal business is still burning inside you, ask me again and we'll see if my mind has yet been changed on the subject."

Not bloody likely.  

[medigel]

For the second time that night Shik was given reason to pause and stare. Willing to clean, cut, and cook? Shaheen? Her pride would never have allowed it. She would have taken the carcass and tossed it in his lap (or face if she could manage), or spout something about kissing a student before agreeing to menial labor so easily, or something equally outrageous and defiant.

Something was very, very wrong here. It was one thing to see her falter in battle, but to see those cracks, those gray streaks out of battle . . .

But Shik was not one who pursued information out of unwilling hosts, not when they were kin. Not when the unknown fact disturbed Shaheen this profoundly. Wordlessly he nodded and dragged the minipet back into his space, summoning his dagger to begin trimming the fur and fat; and for a span of time that as all he paid attention to, each stroke planned and measured.

"I've seen similar markings on a few of the others."

It was almost meditative in movements - even the harsher sawing motions to tear out specific parts of meat out. He did not look at her, so concentrated as he was pulling strings of leftover fur and stringy meat out to toss into the fire.

"When I saw them on our War-Sister Radha, she too hid them from sight and brought no attention. Forgive me if I'm growing a bit . . . concerned." Because "worry" was not in Shik's vocabulary.

Even so, it wasn't a trick of the light that his features had softened to something equalling some form of inner unease.  

[Seussi]

Shik nodded at her, and she had expected no less. She didn't think he would press the issue, not after she had made it clear just how much she did not wish to discuss it. Hell, she had offered to make him a bloody meal just to get out of having to talk about it, just to show him how much she hated the very thought of it. Thankfully, he took the hint, and she was able to relax, and she watched with a cold gaze as he dragged the dik-dik carcass back to where he had been seated and began to work on cutting away at the fur. She brought up her arms to cross over her chest, glancing around for a spot where she could sit. She did not really want to be here anymore, a sudden feeling of unease settling over her.

When he spoke, she tensed up again, having thought that they were finished with the topic but finding out rather quickly that he was not done quite yet. "Oh?" She said, rather tersely, one eyebrow raising. And why should she care, exactly, if half of the population of horsemen that had survived were inflicted with similar markings to her? Should she take some kind of comfort in that?

But then he continued on. Hid them from sight? Ha! Shaheen did nothing to hide what was there and plain as day on the side of her face. So her hair was loose today and fell in tangled waves that mostly obscured them from view. That didn't mean a god damned thing. With a roll of her eyes and a highly exasperated sound, Shaheen reached up to pull her hair away from her face and walked over to collapse on her knees in the dirt in front of Shikoba. "No, you are right, I do not wish to draw attention. But I do not hide." She stated, rather firmly, turning her head to the side so that he could get the eye full that he seemed to want.

"There is no need for you to be concerned, least of all about me." She let go of her hair, let it all tumble back down into place.

Shaheen knew that she was lucky to even be alive, at this point. She could have ended up like the others, the ones who had been 'destroyed'. If the price she had to pay for that survival was a few grey streaks and some annoying whispers in the back of her head that threw off her concentration from time to time..well, it was a price she could afford.

"Don't go soft on me, Shikoba. Do it all you like for the others, but not for me. I don't need it."  

[medigel]

The executioner's eyes followed her every movement, unresponsive until Shaheen last declaration. "As you wish," Shik said simply. He wasn't going to press something he had no actual knowledge about, much as he wanted to be clued in. It was a secret that, in his eyes, would come to light one way or another; he could only hope it wasn't as foreboding as the symptoms had hinted, because the Lost did not need more tragedy on their hands.

The concerned look disappeared as he went back to cutting himself a thick piece of meat off the dikdik's haunch. Another handful of seconds went by in silence before Shik spoke again, during which he jury-rigged the pointed half of a broken arrow to his dagger with some bandages from his satchel. He then speared the piece of meat and hung it over the fire's edge. "The other Clans have interesting fighting styles. Have you seen?" Shik asked her, as if they had not just broached her condition. "Particularly Death's? I have yet to have a challenge from one of theirs."  

[Seussi]

It was good that he was dropping it now, and that the topic of conversation was shifting towards something less unpleasant for the war chieftain, but still, her mood was deteriorating to the point of wanting nothing more then to just leave, maybe find herself a nice tree to rest in for the night. In fact, she had to fight with these sudden, very strong instincts to spread her wings and fly, to leave Shik behind with his stupid fire, his basket of fruit, and his hunks of meat.

"No." She responded to his question quietly, arms crossing over her chest, eyes flicking to the side, staring somewhere beyond seeing, her mind a haze of whispers that threatened to overtake her. Death...the whispers seemed to pick up on that one word, even out of context, and goosebumps rose up along her arms.

Her eyes finally dropped to the ground, to the basket of fruit that she had brought along and she bent down to retrieve it, all inwardly brooding silence now, a stark contrast to her earlier boisterous and arrogant self. "I need to leave. Find a place to rest. It's been a long day." Or not rest, since the whispers often brought on horrible nightmares. Maybe she would just go for a very long walk instead.

"We will talk another time." Maybe. "Until then, I will see you on the night of this..prom thing." And then she was already turned, and walking away, leaving him there alone.

She could never be alone, however, the whispers would always accompany her where ever she went, now.