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Post by Riku on May 2, 2020 14:01:19 GMT -6
Riku walked up to the Quest Center with his newer companion at his side. Aslan stood upright as he accessorized Riku's waste. He felt a certain grace and honor about being in his presence, and he wondered if the people around could feel it.
As they reached the board, an older woman called out to them. "Oh, oh...! You, with the strong arms!" she whined. Riku looked around, blushing. It was obvious she meant him, but he didn't really go around trying to give the impression he was 'strong'. In fact, he usually wore clothes that covered the beautifully toned muscles he just so happened to have. Today, however, it was warmer in Spring, so he wore short sleeves.
He awkwardly covered his one bicep with the other hand as he approached her. "Hi." he said as she reached out and grabbed his hand.
"I need you, Honey, to help my garden...! That Nyssa is back from last year! And I really appreciated your help last time." she said as she slipped a crumbled flyer into the hand she had grabbed.
Riku +0.1 | Aslan 5.2 - 0.2 | Aslan (Ahz-lahn) | Breed: Lionheart Cunning: 4 Beast Top Speed: 30 mph Size: Large dog Gender: Male Loyalty: 5 | Level: 0
Sta 2 | Str 3 | Res 3 | Dex 4 | Men 3 Special Abilities: Thick Fur, Opposable Thumbs, Light Resistance, Psychic Resistance Moves: Climb, Mimic, Intangible Body, Foxfire, Nether Claw |
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 17:51:50 GMT -6
Last time...? Clearly she had him confused with someone else. He had never seen her before - and he definitely hadn't encountered any Nyssa recently other than his own, who was a handful. "Nyssa...?" he asked with a sigh.
"Oh, please!!!" she started to scream. Riku was shocked as she grabbed the collar of his shirt (how did she reach that high?) and pulled him in. She began to shake him as she groaned: "My poor petunias...!"
Aslan stepped back uncomfortably. The smaller human didn't seem much of a threat to his powerful and righteous master - for Riku could take of any foe. Surely...this person must have had some power over him to force him to endure such behavior. She...she must have been in love with him, too! (Too...?) He was about to growl in warning and declaration of alignment with his own human, when Riku gently put his hand on the older woman's.
Riku +0.10 | Aslan 5.4 - 0.4
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:02:44 GMT -6
"It's okay, ma'am." he said to her, using his soft eyes to calm her down. "I'll help your garden." he reassured, moving his hand to her forearm, the other on her left shoulder. He gracefully pulled her off of him like one would delicately remove a vine from a trellis, and her feet touched the ground again as she dusted herself off.
"Why, thank you....! My hero!" she cheered. She took his hand again, gratefully, and shoved another paper into his fist and then thanked him again, blushing. Then she took his other hand and gave him a third flier. Seeing that her demeanor had changed, the Lionheart calmed himself, but was still hyper aware of her movements. He was a bit jealous of how close she was with his master. It made him uncomfortable - he was much more poised.
As they began to move past her to the official building she called out to them.
Riku +0.15 | Aslan 5.6 - 0.6
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:10:14 GMT -6
"One last thing!" she cooed, cheerfully. The two of them didn't bother walking back, they simply slowed down long enough for her to get out her sentence, uncomfortably. "I hope it burns." she stated with an eerily sweet smile.
"I'm sorry...?" Riku laughed awkwardly, tilting his head to the side. Surely he had heard her wrong.
"I said, I hope that stupid tree burns. All those stupid plant beasts deserve to!" her face changed a bit while she said it, with a twitch that was not nearly so...innocent. And then she began to walk away.
....Riku stood there in shock for a long moment until his companion nudged his thigh, looking up at him. He blsuhed into those adorable, loving blue eyes and brushed his fingers into the thick, soft fur of his mane. "Aww..." he said to the plant-lion, out loud. "You're lucky you didn't understand that." And then he opened the door to the shop with a creak.
Riku +0.20 | Aslan 5.8 - 0.8
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:16:15 GMT -6
"Wait here, okay, Aslan." he thought to the creature. "I'm just gonna go get something and I'll be right back." He rubbed the top of the beast's head to the point that it closed its eyes in enjoyment, but it didn't respond.
Aslan sat near the door while Riku was inside. At first it was easy, but then he grew worrisome. What happened to his Master? Why was he taking so long...? He understood that he wasn't supposed to go inside - and something almost prevented him from doing so - but what was he supposed to do? It had been quite some time! (Although, it had only been about one minute - not that he really understood time.)
He stood up and moved towards the door. He had the ability to open it - but he was not daring enough to defy his human. He tried to look inside through the glass, but the glare prevented him from doing so.
Riku +0.25 | Aslan 6.0 - 1.0
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:21:37 GMT -6
He could just.....walk through it, without opening the door. But again, that would go against Riku's direct order. He paced back and forth a bit and let out a whine. He decided to circle around the building. Perhaps he had just gone through...? And as he darted around a second corner, he came face to face with the little old woman again.
"Ohh...? Is that grass or fur?" she said, reaching out for him. In his already panicked state, he flinched away from her hands. "Tell me, creature, do you like fire!?" she called to him as he dodged around her while she was cackling, and back towards the front again from the other side.
The door opened as he approached it, and Riku came out in a bit of a rush. "Aslan?" he called out, looking to the right of the door where he had left him. The crossbreed came from the left and shouted "Master!"
Riku +0.30 | Aslan 6.2 - 1.2
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:28:24 GMT -6
Aslan jumped into Riku's unprepared arms, but the human was not able to grab him. Riku leaned back a bit and tried to grab the creature by his rear as he hopped up again to his shoulders, and awkwardly suspended the creature in front of him for a few seconds before trying to adjust. "You're lucky I'm strong..." the young man groaned, his modest biceps shining in all their glory.
"Okay, I'm gonna put you down now..." he said, carefully bending over and letting the lion's paws touch the ground before he fully released his weight to gravity. He brushed off his chest and wondered if he could get grass stains that way. Laughing to himself, he figured it didn't matter. That much beautiful fur and pleasant warmth? It would be worth the stain if it gave one - which it didn't seem to this time.
"Let's head to the public gardens. Her flier shows where's it's at."
Riku +0.35 | Aslan 6.4 - 1.4
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:34:24 GMT -6
Reaching the place on the flier, the two of them looked around. Riku hadn't yet explained why they were there. After all these years, he still forgot to translate to his ribbon'ed pets what they couldn't comprehend without telepathy. Still, the creature scanned the location for any threat to their bond...which was still forming.
"I don't see it..." the human stated, turning to his companion with a shrug.
"What don't you see...?" Aslan asked through their minds. He licked Riku's fingertips with affection and curiosity, but Riku pulled his hand away because he didn't like the sensation.
"The, oh. We're here to deal with a Nyssa - a big moving tree." he said, looking around at a rather shady garden with dozens of large and small trees. He then noticed a patch of flowers that seemed to be crushed under a bunch of rather ingrained roots. Could that be the...?
Riku +0.40 | Aslan 6.6 - 1.6
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:42:58 GMT -6
Suddenly a swing of branches came towards the two of them. Riku dropped his weight to the floor the dodge it, but the Lionheart instinctively jumped on and rode the living wood to its next point. A loud and deep groan could be heard as every leaf in that tree shook. The rooted uprooted themselves, and it began to take its first giant step.
"Aslan!" Riku called out to his friend as it effortlessly climbed through the branches higher up. It reared back for another swing at Riku, apparently oblivious to the new vermin on its back, and Aslan let out a roar near its face.
A familiar voice - but much more sinister and and full of an underlying bass - was heard as he shouted "Tell me, creature, do you like fire!?" and Aslan's eyes began to glow a bright, blinding white. The magical vents in his chest and legs started to shoot a scorching light that even Riku could feel.
Riku +0.45 | Aslan 6.8 - 1.8
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Post by Riku on May 6, 2020 18:49:44 GMT -6
The tree halted the assault they had been building up for the human, and began to reach upward unsuccessfully for the lion who was burning its back. "I hope that stupid tree burns!" Aslan shouted in that same creepy voice as he had perceived it before, followed by the cackle the old woman had let out while Aslan was running away. It almost made one wonder if he was doing her bidding, or indirectly burning away his fear of her through the attack.
Riku stood back, covering his face from the light and heat. He was in awe of his creature that was apparently much stronger than he had anticipated. Much faster to defend him that he was expecting.....Another wave of fiery light came out of the Lionheart, this time spilling out of its feet everywhere it stepped while avoiding the burning arm branches that desperately reach for him.
It was much more...gruesome than Riku had planned. Then again, was there really any reasoning with a tree? It had even attacked them at first sight.
Riku +0.50 | Aslan 7.0 - 2.0
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Post by Lethalia on May 7, 2020 4:15:27 GMT -6
[ 1-7 ] The foxfire doesn't appear to be enough to inspire the nyssa to leave just yet... [ Nothing happens ]
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Post by Riku on May 31, 2020 16:37:10 GMT -6
The white ethereal flames that burned the tree were a brilliant white, with tips or both a faint yellow and green. When it wasn't overwhelming, it was actually quite pleasant to look at. In fact, Riku almost wished he could 'capture' pieces of it to decorate certain lamps in The Malii Mantra that he ran in the city.
Riku had already moved out of the way, about ten feet. The Nyssa was more focused on the crossbreed that it was having trouble finding on its back. Fortunately, Lionhearts were excellent climbers. Also fortunately, the fire that he cast on the apparent opponent did not burn himself, or Aslan would be in trouble due to his thick fur being extra flammable. He found a spot behind the head and stuck there, perfectly out of reach of the arms or even vision. Riku hoped that didn't mean it would start swinging at him again...
11 Riku 80.05 | Aslan 7.2 - 2.2
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Post by Riku on May 31, 2020 16:57:20 GMT -6
The giant Nyssa groaned again, rising from a lower booming sound to a louder roar, and then almost into a shriek. It raised its arms into the air, but didn't seem to be reaching for anything. Suddenly the white and emerald flames grew three times larger as they turned a fierce shade of solid blue. It was near confusing for the eyes to look at, since it didn't fade in hue as it reached its peaks.
Aslan looked around him as his flames changed and grew - quickly realizing he no longer had control over them. The sapphire slipped onto his fur as he still stood on the blazing tree's back in panic. He let out a scream and leaped off the Nyssa in one motion. Landing on his feet (questionably related to his feline lineage, or just luck) he whimpered loudly and ran to Riku for help.
12 Riku 80.10 | Aslan 7.4 - 2.4
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Post by Riku on May 31, 2020 17:05:07 GMT -6
Riku saw the burning Lion running in his direction and took a step back instinctively. He didn't know how to help....maybe if he had magic? Or some other skill? First aid was only really helpful after an incident, the same with the healer's temple. How was he supposed to put out the fire, they didn't have water. He didn't even know where this garden's hose was to spray him down. All he saw was contagious fire running straight for him! He put his hands out and waved them at the lion, screaming "No!!!"
Aslan put his heel down as he ran to quickly stop. He shrank back and his head and tail withered in the moment of seemingly abandonment of the one who was there to help him. "Master!?" he screamed in agony as the sapphire spread to the rest of his body. He wailed in pain an terror, and Riku fell to his knees, helpless to do the same.
13 Riku 80.15 | Aslan 7.6 - 2.6
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Post by Riku on May 31, 2020 17:27:34 GMT -6
All at once, the flames were gone, and the two of them realized that although the lion was on fire, his fur was not burning. The pain was real! ...but the injury was not? Their hearts were still racing as they looked at each other confused. Aslan checked his paws, tail, and sides for scorch marks, but there were none.
Realizing what had just happened, Riku gasped and then reached out to Aslan to comfort him. The Lionheart flinched and stepped back. "Wh...why did you abandon me?" he asked through the ribbon. His expression was visibly betrayed and deeply upset and confused. He worshiped his master, and yet....
"I-I panicked, Aslan. I'm sorry." Riku began, hoping it translated well. "I didn't know how to stop the fire, and I didn't want it to burn me..." he looked down at the lion's chest instead of into his eyes like he usually did when they spoke.
14 Riku 80.20 | Aslan 7.8 - 2.8
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