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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 6:36:25 GMT -6
"Do my hair? You?" I nod, and add 'I used to help my aunt with my cousins' spring sheds for where they couldn't reach themselves.' on the board. 'You won't regret it.' With a self agonizing sigh, Magpie tilts her head to the ceiling. "Just don't make me bald or something." she passes me the scissors. Thats a good start. "Sit on the stool, I take it." Do you have a way of wetting your hair down, like standing in the rain? Wet hair and fur is easier to trim. And a comb., I write, and nod about the sitting part. Her eyes rove over my writing, and nods. "Stay there K, I'll be right back." disappearing into the darkness of the tree hallway. I can hear far off laughter, but she returns quickly enough, a bit of a flush to her cheeks and looking like a drowned rat. Was that her laughing in the distance? +1
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 6:43:47 GMT -6
"Wouldn't have guessed that a fox could do his own fur, don't you guys lick your fur down like a cat?" Magpie asks as I inspect the crows nest that is her head. Running my fingers through what little isn't horribly tangled with some mats. Oh boy, mats. No, we do not groom like cats. Not obsessively. This will hurt some, you are very tangled in places, but I will get this evened out. Somehow., I write on the board. "my hero" Magpie sighs, mockingly. Carefully, I start working my fingers into the biggest mat. Its not corded yet, so must be mostly soft. Slowly, a small hole can be made by pinching hairs and gently pulling them apart from each other. "Watch it, that does pull." the coonish female complained. Sorry, not much I can do on that. You have mats in your hair, it will pull even if I am careful. Please bare with it, I write on my chalkboard. She grumbles.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 6:47:35 GMT -6
And don't move your head please. The mat will pull further and cause you more discomfort., I added briefly when she tried to twist her head around. Just relax. "Says the mute by barf fox who I'm entrusting my looks to." the female grumbled to herself. With a brush and the comb in hand, the mat is slowly starting to loosen up. If all else fails, I can use the scissors. But if not needed, I'd rather not cut yet. Hair and fur can grow back, but likely she doesn't grow her hair out as fast as I do my own fur. No, I will still have a bald ring around my neck for another week or so, but eventually my fur will grow back in those areas. Carefully, with gentle pulls and combs and brushes, the mat is loosening to the point I might be able to rescue the hair.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 10:27:39 GMT -6
"Could do what my roommate had, and put a collar on", she mentions offhandedly. The thought of a collar... no thanks if I can help it. I have seen no roommate, was Locus a wolf in disguise or something? Mira on the other hand is watching what we are both doing, her little paws running over the missing patches in her fur too. But she sees the female stiffen up considerably while her fox picks through her hair like some sort of monkey. At least he doesnt eat what he finds. But shes not stupid, foxes and panilla both sport long fur and it needs regular grooming. The bright eyes dart to her, and she sees slits i stead of round. A raspy growly sound that sounds like a cough to her fox, is perfectly understood by her. ‘What are you... ‘ panilla, points up at her busy fox. Fox. ‘It understands me...’ ‘Well of course it does, its that ring!’
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 19:33:01 GMT -6
'Your habit picking shiny things up that are not yours causes us both trouble.' 'Thank you, I'm so aware of that habit being why I am here.' Magpie grumbled to herself, without making audible words. Having someone pick through her hair wasn't a comfortable thing, but at the same time, she had Nye abandoned trying to tame it further then a very industrial set of rubber bands. But the fox is quiet as he works out the mats. Once or twice it pulls to the point of Magpie wincing, and he eases up on the pulls. 'Gentle hands for a fox.' 'Shush.' Magpie hisses silently while she allows the fox to continue grooming her hair. He's super gentle, its true. "Are your cousins antsy while being groomed?" she asks him. He coughs, making a mirthful hissing noise. Must be. His tools on her hair pause to pick up the chalkboard briefly. Yes, with several lines beneath it. Oh my...
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 19:38:53 GMT -6
The chalkboard is set aside and the fox, Kristofor, she reminds herself, reaches to take her hands. "Uh...?" With hardly a grip, he guides her hand up to pat the area where there was once a nasty matting. Clawed fingers glide through almost effortlessly. "Oh wow. You're good." Turning around sharply, Magpie's face lights up. "More. Please finish up. I want to have no more mats." The multicolored fox's muzzle curls a bit in a smile as he gestures for her to turn back around. To continue having her hair mussed and worked with, and slowly undone from its crows nest. Nearly an hour passes, and Magpie's getting really antsy. Sitting so long in one place makes her antsy to the point of insanity. Wiggling her toes, twining her fingers through her torn shirt, and trying really hard not to move her head. 'is he DONE YET' 'No...' she sighs to herself resignedly, until a clipboard inches into her vision. Finished!? +1
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 19:56:17 GMT -6
POV SWAP "FINALLY" Magpie jumps from the chair and shakes herself out. In the effort to avoid a flailing clawed hand going through me, I sit back down on the bed. My hind shins are getting sore from standing so long in one place on two legs. Its a surprise on how much energy she stored up just by sitting still for a while. Reminds me very much of my much littler cousin, right after bath time. EVERYWHERE AT ONCE. Mira crawls back into my lap, finding her way to be underneath my hand. 'You're a seeker of attention, aren't you.' I think to myself, gently petting her back. The patches of missing fur disturb the soft texture. She did lose some fur with all the stress of... Magpie, how long was I out., I write on the chalkboard with unease growing in the pit of my stomach. "Uh... three days? You were really sick for a day or so."
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 21:29:07 GMT -6
To emphasize my question, I feel and hear my stomach growl loudly. Eyes wide, my paws fly to my gut. Magpie laughs. Without the mats, her hair reaches the shoulder almost, black with hints of being gray-brown at one point. "Berries dont' fill up much do they. Stay there, I'll bring back food for ya." Flipping a freed strand of hair over her shoulder, the unusual female disappears from my sight. Mira finds the piece of bamboo that she'd been dragging about, setting it on my legs as she settles herself and starts eating. Oh, so thats how it is.... she won't wait for me to fill my stomach first, survival of the fittest. Well, she's right. A fox who can't feed himself won't survive. Which brings me back to how I'm supposed to survive in the city; No home, no food, and likely I might need some sort of papers to even keep a pet...?!
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 21:37:59 GMT -6
"Chill, K. You're gonna shed all over the nest." Magpie jolts me out of my thoughts, clattering back into the room with a small pile of dishes with covers on them. "Get comfy, I brought you some choices here. I... don't know what foxes like so I grabbed bits of everything." the array of food before me is making me salivate. "Go on, its for you." she urges, gesturing it was all for me. I admit I lost control of myself for bout five minutes, devouring everything in front of me. Finally the last dish clatters down in front of me, empty and cleaned. The sign of a good meal, when you spend the next minute or so grooming the extras off your muzzle. "Glad you liked it. My roommate claims I can't cook, but what do they know." Magpie complains as she gathers the dishes, her hair falling over her shoulders. Mira pokes at the dishes a bit as they leave her paw range.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 21:42:56 GMT -6
Your roommate must have a lack of a sense of taste. It was delicious, I am very thankful for the food., I write down for her. "Aww, you're a cute fox." Magpie declares, reaching out and mussing up my head crown fur. "And thanks for taking care of my hair. You might have a good skill for making some money." Groom people?, I write, surprised briefly. Hadn't considered it. "And pets. Lookit Mira, she's got super soft fur like yours. And believe me, some folks give up or dig out the shears when its a hopeless grooming job. The city could use someone who could actually do the magic fingers thing and get the mats out, make us people and their creatures look good." She looks me right in the eye, nose to nose. "At least think about it, kay? I've gotta go finish up my scavengers route, so if you happen to be near the tree again, say hi." and is gone.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 22:01:33 GMT -6
"Says anything on her mind, that Magpie." Raven clucked disapprovingly as he clicked into the room, his claws noisy on the floor. Passing me a folder that could've been out of my uncle's study for doing his line of work. "Open that up." Inside... was a blank copy of registry papers for New Pethia City Hall, as well as my ripped half. "Sorry, I went through your knapsack when you were getting treated initially; looking for any sort of idea of who you were, and it didn't show your name initially on the paper. I solemnly swear that I did not take anything from your knapsack for myself." Clattering around, Raven climbs up on the stool to sit down, his tail draping down to the floor. Its almost like seeing a human child sized bird sitting on the stool. "Since you're feelin' better, I think you should get going tomorrow." Well who didn't see this coming. +1
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 22:09:04 GMT -6
Am I being kicked out?, I write on the chalkboard. Raven shakes his feathered head no. But...? "Nah, I'd be kickin' myself for letting a sick pup go out unprepared." he says. "Bleeding Heart Raven, should be my catchname." chuckles at his own joke. "Locus says you aren't familiar with common script, so I'll do ye' a favor for helping my Magpie with her hair problem. I swear that magpie is hopeless at her own grooming. Anyways. I will write for you, as I do know common script, and you write down what you want me to say." Yes please!, I write almost too quickly. It had taken me a very long time to prepare those papers to begin with. "Glad. Good. Okay. Please write down your name, the name you want Pethia to know you under." Carefully, I write K-r-i-s-t-o-f-o-r down in individual letters so Raven can read my pawwriting. Mira isn't too interested in the chalkboard.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 22:18:59 GMT -6
"Not with an e-r, huh. I've heard thats more common." Raven notes the unusual spelling of my chosen name. He doesn't need to know why, so I don't write anything more about my name. "Kay... male... Fox... from the Western outlier Woodlands..." he writes slowly, letting me see him write. How this bird can hold a pencil is beyond me. "Are you considered a black or a silver fox?" Silver, I write down. He nods and writes my fur color beside my species. Silver foxes are a breed, yes. "Is this your first time to New Pethia? Yes... Will you be requiring lodging?" I nod yes. I had no place to go right now. "Yes, okay. The city does offer free and cheap housing for the citizens; if you ever want property; it costs a pretty copper. Oh, our money here is called credits. Copper is the smallest amount. Ten copper to a silver, and ten silver to an iron."
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 22:26:03 GMT -6
"The city does have a number of ways of earning money; you could scavenge for goods, like us, but you're a rather stand-outish fox, so maybe something more in the vicinity of people." Raven murmurs to himself a bit. "By the city-hall offered lodging, there's a quest board. People put up help ads, bounties, wanted ads, a lot of different things; can earn yourself a few credits helping those out in need. Later on when you're established, the buying and selling of lab-made animals here is very very popular." Lab-made?, I write, puzzled. Junebug did mention the labs made animals. "Did you seriously come to live here without knowing? Until about 7 years ago, the labs regularly released out new species of animals; they were so good at surviving outside the city if anyoen released them, regular animals were driven to extinction in the surrounding areas. In certain directions further then others." I...didn't know that.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 24, 2020 22:37:36 GMT -6
Are... there any foxes made by the labs?, my paw is shaking a bit at the thought of being 'made' in a lab. Was Mira made in a lab?, I also add. "Yes and yes." Raven comments. "Mira's an older species, the panilla next to you. The foxes made are more based on the mythical islandic foxes with multiple tails and magical powers." I'm both speechless and nearly drop my chalk. And feel quite alone, all at once. "Don't get down on yourself, kit. You'll find a number of fox folk living her in the city. Its sanctuary for those escaping being persecuted by their homes; and such. There is law set down that nobody persecutes others about their species, breed, color, gender, mating choices, job, whatever. Its not a thing." sounds like he's reciting a brochure for a vacation, and I note it down so. He makes a cawing chuckle. "Lets finish this form up."
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