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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:43:55 GMT -6
Zenjesi was alone. That wasn’t really unusual in itself, but they felt particularly isolated now, walking amongst the city streets. Their hooves tapped rhythmically, their blank eyes scanning the streets, watching for movement, waiting for judgment. But it was later in the evening, just before most of the shops were closing, so it was quiet. That was some consolation. But Zenjesi was still alone. Abandoned Pets. The words caught Zenjesi’s attention immediately, and they felt a small pang of something akin to despair. What kind of person abandoned pets? The hoofbeats fell silent, as the satyr paused in the street. The lights were on inside. Zenjesi wavered, took a few steps away down the street, stopped, returned… They crept up to the front doors instead, peering in through the glass. It looked… normal, quiet. A man sat behind the desk. Zenjesi withdrew again, back pressed against the outside wall. No, act normal, their thoughts chided them. A pause, then Zenjasi pushed off, and stepped through the doors. To their utmost surprise, they were easily escorted back through a steel door where rows of cages lined the walls. A suddenly morbid thought occurred – am I about to be placed in one? But no, the caretaker left, and Zenjasi was once again alone. Well, not quite. They stepped down the line, scanning each cage, and feeling their heart sink at the sight of each. Each one… abandoned. How would they ever choose? And then… a splash of vibrant green and yellow, feathers and fur… a gallor, Comforting, familiar shades. Zenjesi stooped down, one long-fingered hand reaching up and grasping the bars of the kennel. No response. Sleeping? “Hello,” they whispered. The creature’s head rose, and… its eyes opened. They matched Zenjesi’s.
[Applying for: Gilded Mocker Gallor] 1
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:44:24 GMT -6
Involuntarily, Zenjesi let out a small sound, something like a gasp. They didn’t often seek out mirrors, but the sight they had seen when they did was unforgettable. It was frightening, eyes like that. And as this beast turned its empty eyes to Zenjesi, they realized with sadness that they had felt, in that first moment the gallor opened its eyes, the shock that others did seeing Zenjesi. “We are the same,” Zenjesi whispered, their second hand moving up to grip the bars. They shuffled closer, hunched now before the gallor. “Do you see?” The gallor blinked once, shuffling its paws to settle in, now awake. Lustrous green wing feathers rustled as the wings folded more neatly into place. Zenjesi watched it watching them, their own eyes searching for any sign of that hesitance, that uneasiness that others seemed to feel. It truly was hard to read eyes like that, wasn’t it?
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:44:37 GMT -6
And yet… there was no immediate sign of discomfort. At least, none that Zenjesi wouldn’t expect with a caged animal meeting a new creature for the first time. They felt a slight stirring of hope. “I am Zenjesi,” they whispered, more softly now, as if someone else may be listening in. They knew no one was, they knew they were still alone, but… something in this creature’s eyes indicated an awareness slightly beyond what it should have been. That intrigued them. They extended one hand slowly, gently… offering it palm up to the gallor. “I will not hurt you.” They knew the words would mean nothing, at least not yet, but… perhaps the tone could be reassurance? But the whisper sounded like hissing, and the gallor drew back first, a tail like palm fronds swishing once or twice. Zenjesi watched the sharp beak and claws, but… pushed a bit further, their shoulder scraping against the bars. “I will not hurt you,” they repeated.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:44:57 GMT -6
The gallor did not strike, but it did suddenly rise to its clawed feet and pace into the opposite corner, further from Zenjesi’s hand. They withdrew then, giving the gallor a moment to breathe. They were quiet, just watchful, as was the gallor. A truce, for the moment. Zenjesi’s thoughts wandered. Male or female? They peered over the plumage and… to the best of their reckoning it looked to be female. Not that it really mattered, but it was only fair to refer to her correctly. “Do I scare you?” Zenjesi whispered. Perhaps with enough talking, the gallor would learn not to fear their voice. The voice did turn people away though. It seemed to ruffle fur and feathers. The gallor, naturally, could not exactly respond, but… also she did not turn away. Zenjesi wasn’t sure that was exactly progress, but at least it was not aggression. How long had this beast been here in this cage?
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:46:43 GMT -6
If there was one thing Zenjesi knew, it was that food was a fairly universal language. It signified peace, welcoming, friendship. Those were things that did not come so naturally to Zenjesi’s spoken and non-spoken messages. They turned their head, peering around the simple space and noting an unmarked cupboard. Perhaps that would have what they were looking for. It was a shame they had not intended on coming here - they could have brought treats. Alas. They rose to a slightly stooped posture and crossed to the door. The gallor rustled behind them - moving to keep them in sight, perhaps? That, too, seemed hopeful. The cupboard creaked open to reveal a variety of well-used toys. Hm. Not exactly what Zenjesi had been thinking of, but… ah! There were a couple of stray pieces of jerky tucked in the corner. They tentatively picked them out. How old were these things? As Zenjesi was bringing them to their nose for a cautious sniff… their fingers touched. Each other, not the jerky.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:49:10 GMT -6
Zenjesi froze, stared at their fingers, turned their eyes to the ground. … No jerky. Where…? They started to pat themselves down. Had it fallen into a fold of fabric, or…? The sound of a clacking beak led them to turn and… the gallor was… eating it. They stopped in place, staring in absolute confusion. “How did you do that?” they whispered from across the room, and mostly to themselves. But the gallor paid them no mind whatsoever, struggling with the overly aged and likely unpleasantly dry snack. Zenjesi picked their way back over, stooping once again to watch the gallor but now with a new sense of wonder. “You took it from me.” Magic. So simply and effortlessly. But from this beast with eyes like theirs. They weren’t the only magically gifted one, it seemed. For the first time, a small smile appeared on Zenjesi’s lips as they watched the gallor snack.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:49:34 GMT -6
“That is a good trick,” they mumbled softly, fingers wrapping around the bars once again. They were balanced there on their hooves in a comfortable squat, settled in to observe. “What other tricks do you know?” The gallor finished the jerky and, for the first real time, seemed interested in acknowledging Zenjesi. She let out a chitter sound, bobbing her head once at the satyr. Zenjesi gave a small smile in return. Well, they were sold on the gallor, now just to sell the gallor on them. “But… how do you reward a beast who can do as you do?” they mused to themselves, tilting their head. The gallor tilted her head, mimicking. After a momentary pause, Zenjesi extended their hand between the bars once again, slowly, palm upturned. There was a moment of consideration, finally. It was hard to discern, without pupils, but Zenjesi suspected their fingers were being searched for more food.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:49:56 GMT -6
None found, of course, the gallor clacked her beak again and stood up, pacing back to the other side of the kennel. No interest in Zenjesi. The satyr withdrew again, nodding. “You are restless. You are nervous.” They glanced back at the cupboard. “I understand. I do not like to be cornered either. To be watched.” Zenjesi suddenly wondered if the purveyor of the establishment was watching this interaction, and… felt a certain unease. They shifted on their hooves. “Let’s go somewhere safer,” Zenjesi suggested, speaking to both the gallor and themselves now. They crossed back towards the cupboard, picking through the assortment of leashes and harnesses and trying to guess at which would best fit. Best be something snug in case this gallor proved to have more interest in escape than in Zenjesi, any toys, or any edible bribes. They turned back to see the gallor watching with more interest again. Perhaps she understood what these devices meant.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:50:40 GMT -6
Returning with a thick harness and sturdy leash, Zenjesi considered the gallor. She seemed spirited, to be sure. No doubt those claws, at the very least, could do some damage if the gallor were so inclined. It was likely there was some other magical ability hidden behind those empty eyes as well. There would be no predicting that. But… for the moment Zenjesi was most concerned about the gallor’s wings. Was this a flighted creature? They appeared quite small, tucked nearly flush against the gallor’s back, but… Zenjesi knew better than anyone that looks were not everything. They braced themselves, harness prepared, with the leash already attached and moved to undo the kennel’s latch – “If you escape, I –” The gallor’s claws pushed off the concrete, then the chain link, then concrete again as before Zenjesi could do more than blink, she was free. – will never be allowed back in the city, Zenjesi’s thought concluded, far too late.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:51:01 GMT -6
The first blessing was that all other doors were shut. The second was that the gallor could not fly. Zenjesi had at least a couple of moments to observe her wings as they flapped wildly and the gallor ricocheted through the space. But they were frozen in place for just the moment, praying the caretaker would not enter just then and create an egress. Then they held their arms out and dropped back into a crouch, watching as the gallor seemed to come to the conclusion that escape would not be so readily available, and she began to slow her pace, finally coming to a rest near the exterior door. “We are of the same intention, at least,” Zenjesi muttered with a single, dry chuckle. The gallor chirped then, flapping her wings once but leaving them slightly flared. Her attention was wholly fixed on Zenjesi who, after a moment of consideration, began to pick their way forward on hands and hooves.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:51:14 GMT -6
The gallor seemed to be pressing back further and further into the corner, as if she hoped to turn invisible or find a forgotten tunnel another creature had once burrowed through the wall. Fortunately for Zenjesi (and likely the structural integrity of the wall), none were to be found. Still, Zenjesi was keenly aware that cornering a beast was not advisable under most circumstances. Yet the gallor had made no aggressive move thus far, and… well, someone had managed to handle her before, hadn’t they? She’s here for a reason, Zenjesi’s thoughts made the point. That did lead the satyr to pause for a pensive moment, but their eyes lingered on the gallor’s body language: arched back, readied wings, flared tail, all posturing that indicated fear, but would it be fight or (an attempt at) flight? And then their eyes caught something new. The gallor’s multi-colored fur had begun to stand on end, and, in doing so, revealed a shimmering undercoat.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:51:40 GMT -6
“More magic?” Zenjesi mused aloud, though this was a somewhat unnecessary thing to say. The fact that it was magic was undeniable. In fact, the sight of this new phenomenon so intrigued them that they nearly forgot themselves and advanced more quickly to investigate. Instinct intervened, and they only tilted their head. The gallor made a sort of chittering sound, watching Zenjesi with the same degree of focus. The question was what other variety of magic this creature possessed. The satyr crept another step forward. Their fingertips scraped on the rough floor, but they were of a singular thought and did not notice. “Do you mean me harm?” Zenjesi whispered, now slowly bringing the harness and leash back into view. The gallor’s eyes, though lacking pupils, seemed to shift to the leash for a moment, then quickly back to Zenjesi. “Do you know I mean you no harm?” Zenjesi was aware this was not a convincing statement, and the whispering hiss, unblinking white eyes, and creeping pose did not lend themselves to their credibility.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:51:50 GMT -6
To be unpalatable had been their lifelong curse. But… perhaps a beast could detect something humanoids could not. Perhaps… would it be possible for a creature to look past Zenjesi’s social inadequacies and… forge some kind of bond? Zenjesi was studious enough, but had never learned magic from books. Sometimes, they felt, there was only one way to truly learn anything about magic. They crept closer. The gallor’s fur glittered in the harsh light. And yet… it did not attack. The longest of the satyr’s fingers was about to brush a strand of fur when the gallor launched into movement once again. Claws scrabbled on the cement as the gallor launched over Zenjesi’s head, the satyr ducking in time courtesy of that same defensive instinct. A flurry of frantic flapping followed, and a stray feather fell to the ground, half-green, half-yellow. Zenjesi let out a pent up breath. But… the gallor hadn’t lost itself to frenzy this time. It had merely escaped the immediate situation and was now sitting near the open kennel door, watching the satyr again.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:52:16 GMT -6
They turned on their hooves, quirking an eyebrow upon seeing the gallor yet so close. “Growing tired? Or… curious?” Zenjesi murmured. They crept forward again, picking the feather off of the ground and tucking it into their braid. “You see? Now we are even more similar.” The gallor blinked a couple of times in the satyr’s direction, wings ruffling a bit. They did not fold, but… they were not poised, either. “Your shimmering… it is defense, is it not?” Zenjesi continued, knowing full well that the gallor was not understanding a word. But could they be sure of that? “You know I can do something much like you.” The instinctive magical shield had only presented itself twice to date, but that had confirmed the satyr’s magical inclination. For the moment, all thoughts of the supervisor had left their mind, and they were fully present in this moment, just Zenjesi and this oh-so-intriguing gallor.
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Post by Zenjesi on Sept 11, 2023 9:52:33 GMT -6
It was, honestly, becoming a bit uncanny the number of things the two of them had in common. Really, for another creature to have any shared trait with Zenjesi was unusual in itself and now the satyr was all the more determined to win the affections of this creature. Or… maybe tolerance. Acceptance? That would be good enough for now. Zenjesi hefted the harness and leash into view again and saw the gallor’s attention shift to it. “You know what this is,” Zenjesi stated as fact, hoping that was true. If not, this endeavor was about to slip out of their control once again. Still, they crept forward, one cautious step at a time. The soft clicking of their hooves was lost under the cacophony of strange noises from the other caged creatures around them. But with each step, Zenjesi was surprised again as… the gallor did not flee this time.
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