Tale
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Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Jul 20, 2021 10:35:45 GMT -6
Encounters: On Training: N/A Current CompanionRelevant Skills:Plant Lore (1) Berry Picking (1) Toxin-wise (1) AugustStamina: 3 Strength: 4 Resistance: 2 Dexterity: 3 Mentality: 3 Special Abilities: Swim, Danger Sense, Chlorophyll Moves: Constrict, Deceptive Lure & LolaKisa
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Oct 20, 2021 2:21:35 GMT -6
0.1 | 0.1 Tale hadn't been here since, well. In a few years at least. And it shows, he remarked to himself looking around the garden. What had once been a well-kept garden was now sprawling out of control. It wasn't anything he was particularly surprised by: he had always been the one to look after the gardens, and when he stopped coming, it meant nothing at all would get done. The lot had almost reverted back into its forested surroundings by this point, and Tale couldn't help but admire it. Even if it wasn't the plants he was trying to harvest, nature always had a way of coming out on top. Even here, the weeds and thicket that had taken over carefully plotted spaces had their own wild beauty. But, that untamed wilderness was going to be wrangled in at least a bit, Tale resolved to himself. Resolute, he nodded and went forward toward his old abandoned mess. Closely following his feet, he heard panting and loud paw steps just behind. [1]
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Tale
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Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Oct 20, 2021 2:33:01 GMT -6
0.2 | 0.2
Looking down, he was greeted with a look of pure adoration. The honuluh's tail was wagging so fast as Tale looked down that he was afraid the pup would hurt herself. He reached down to pet Sammy and she leaned forcefully into his hand, nuzzling excitedly. He couldn't help but smile. Sammy was his first companion since he had become whatever he is now: he was the closest with her as a harachiu when he and Touj went to feed the creatures and take them out to play. When he last stopped by the kennels, she had whined and cried so much that he couldn't help but take her with. He left a note for Touj explaining where Sammy went, to know she was okay. It was the last real communication he had with Touj so far, Tale realized with a start.
But he wasn't ready to face Touj yet. He wasn't really ready for much of anything, if he was being honest. Pulling his hand away, Sammy whined, but let his attention stray.
[2]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Oct 20, 2021 14:53:53 GMT -6
0.3 | 0.3
"Where to even start..." Tale muttered to himself.
The overgrowth had taken over enough of the garden where he didn't even know it's parameters. Might as well start at the beginning, he decided. He could make out the former dirt trail leading him down a familiar path. Having a way to at least make his way around the garden would be helpful, in the very least. It might as well be the first thing he clears?
He bent down, brushing some dead leaves away. Sammy immediately rushes to under his hand, chasing after it as he moved. Tale couldn't help but smile, giving the pup a pet. Keeping one hand on Sammy, he used the other to pull weeds near his feet. They gave with a little resistance as he wrangled their roots from the ground. Going slowly from side to side of he tread ground, he picked and pulled his way through his surroundings.
[3]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Oct 30, 2021 20:56:48 GMT -6
0.4 | 0.4
It was soothing work. He had forgotten how much he liked being on the ground, feeling the dirt firm under his knees and his hands collecting a dusting of earth as he worked through the foliage in his immediate vicinity. A film of sweat was developing on his brow, and Tale used his forearm to wipe it away as he pulled up another thick growth. There was a sizable pile accumulating already, and he realized belatedly he didn't have any specific plans on what he was going to do with everything he was getting rid of.
It didn't help that Sammy thought the pile was a new fun hideout. As the pup wriggled around in the green pile, it scattered back along the path, obscuring the work he had made. Luckily, Tale noted, it would be easy enough to clean up. Could he use it as compost...? Trailing back into his thoughts, he went back to work.
[4]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 5, 2021 1:51:08 GMT -6
0.5 | 1.0
They fell into a steady rhythm. Tale would pull out weeds while neatly piling them behind him, and Sammy would dutifully run through the piles and scatter the emerging pathway with heaps of weeds. If anything, Tale conceded, it wasn't as if he could just keep the little piles around. He couldn't help but fondly take a look back at the Houluh prancing around the grove. She was having a good time, and he tried to make a mental note once again to take her out more often.
He chuckled. Now that he was a 'real boy,' it was only fitting he had his own pup. He remembered Touj joking about children getting pets when they were young as a way to teach responsibility, to have a companion. He didn't really need to learn any of those things - if anything, he should remind Touj to - but that didn't mean having Sammy with him wasn't a great way to start his new life.
[5]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 5, 2021 1:55:32 GMT -6
0.6 | 1.1
But what did having his own life mean?
He crouched down, balancing on his feet and extended a hand to Sammy. She instantly erupted in joy, clumsily running towards him and running into his chest with a gentle bump. As he patted her head, he thought about how his relationship with this creature changed with his own transformation. He already had his own room, his own children; he helped and sometimes took over care of animals from Touj around the kennels, he did work where he could despite his size. Size was no longer a problem, he realized, but the rest seemed... not different enough.
Sammy was so small. He wanted to think it was because she was growing older, but he knew it was because he grew himself. Why doesn't he feel different? He knew he should have trouble adjusting, and in some ways, he did: but more often than not, even just a few days into this whole ordeal, he still just felt like himself.
[6]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 5, 2021 1:58:47 GMT -6
0.7 | 1.2
Well, that's not quite true. He went to get Sammy from Touj by sneaking in, not ready to show himself to his longtime companion. He and Touj shared everything; They built their life here together in the labs. So why was he hiding from Touj now? It was a question Tale had in the back of his mind since he woke up, but he didn't have an answer for himself. To be fair, he wasn't trying very hard. All he knew was that he didn't want to see Touj yet, and that meant he wasn't going to.
But when would he feel ready?
Sammy whined into his abdomen, and Tale snapped back out of his thoughts. No, he didn't need to dwell on that, not right now. He doesn't owe Touj anything, and the human was more than capable of taking care of himself for a few days. If anything, the house will just be a bit messier when he returns.
[7]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 5, 2021 2:02:47 GMT -6
0.8 | 1.3
When. Not if. Even if he didn't know what his feelings meant or why he felt them, Tale knew that he would return. That gave him some comfort: he still had a home. He still had Touj. He just needed to take some more time to get prepared for his return. But even thinking about the eventual confrontation filled him with dread. He didn't know how he was going to explain his new size, much less anything else. He still wasn't entirely sure how it happened.
It did happen though. There was no going back, at least that he knew of. And it wasn't all bad: he still felt like himself, and now he had Sammy by his side. With a final rub of the head, he turned around, still squatting, to resume his work. The houluh got the message quickly, and went back to frolicing through his hard work.
[8]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 5, 2021 2:06:39 GMT -6
0.9 | 1.4
Still, he thought while keeping an eye on the zooming puppy in the corners of his eyes, what would Touj think? He did leave a note, sure, but that probably wasn't enough. Even if Touj was lackadaisical at times, he did genuinely care about his pets, and would be worried to learn she was missing. Should he go back? Leave another note, pick up some more food? Those were options, but he didn't want to risk running into the human so quickly.
Anyways, he rationalized, even Touj said Sammy liked him more. It comforted something deep down inside him when the pup recognized him right away, even as he looked like a stranger to the larger world. He wanted someone who knew him and didn't act like anything was different. She fulfilled that need perfectly. No matter his size, his wings, his voice - Sammy was the same as ever, and treated him as such.
[9]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 5, 2021 2:12:49 GMT -6
0.10 | 2.0
As if she could hear her thoughts, Sammy decided it was time for a break and decided the perfect spot would be in the knot of weeds he was trying to pull off. She dramatically collapsed right on top of his hands, imprinting almost immediately into the loam beneath. Tale couldn't help but roll his eyes. He was going to have a mess of a time cleaning her up tonight. The extra dirt she was currently wriggling around in wasn't helping the situation.
With a sigh, Tale gently lifted her side and finished his half-completed pulling. He put down her flank and Sammy rolled onto his arm, tail wagging viciously and hitting his knee. Her panting and the drool hanging off her tongue certainly implied that she had finally worn herself out: but she still had enough energy to play with him. He appreciated it.
"Hm, how about we take a little break then?"
[10]
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Post by Nadia on Nov 5, 2021 4:43:21 GMT -6
A snack for your break!
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 7, 2021 2:53:18 GMT -6
0.11 | 2.1
As he rose, a subtle color caught his eye: a fruit! Please that something other than weeds were able to grow in this patch of land, he carefully examined and plucked it. Vibrant and soft, it seemed like it was ripe enough to be good to eat - or, well, whatever he was going to do with this particular piece of fruit. He wasn't sure yet: it seemed to special to just get rid of right away.
Sammy did not share his sentimentally. She immediately bounded up to his newfound treasure and gave it an eager lick. He snatched his hand up and away from her quickly, but that made her much more interested. He realized in his haste, he'd made a mere curiosity for her into a brand new game of keep-away. Tale was slow in his motions, but shifting his body so the canine couldn't see, but the produce into his pocket.
[11]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 7, 2021 12:09:33 GMT -6
0.12 | 2.2
Tale revealed his empty hands with an air of remorse, letting the Houluh see his empty palms. Instead of getting discouraged by the universal language of "all gone," she chose to go ahead and lick the palm outstretched. This seemed like a fine enough resolution to his problem, the harachiu conceded.
Sammy was not the brightest pup yet, which mean the sprite wasn't terribly concerned about keeping his secret hidden. He was more concerned about taking the promised break. With that in mind, he got to his feet.
While he had been making progress, there was certainly a lot of overgrowth surrounding him. Anywhere outside of the small path he was carving out was unrecognizable, with no distinction visible for the places that used to be fields of crops or creature habitats. It was what came after years of neglect, he knew. But Tale's immediate frustration with the sprawl was how difficult it was to get over to a tree to sit.
[12]
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Tale
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by Tale on Nov 9, 2021 0:56:58 GMT -6
0.13 | 2.3
Why did it take so long for him to return?
He tried to answer the question as he sat, absent mindedly petting Sammy. But where his thoughts, his clear explanations and deliberations should be, there was just blank space. There was no internal monologue to his decisions surrounding Isa, and he had accepted this years ago. If anything, it made it easier to go about day to day life: if he couldn't do something anymore, he wouldn't do it. If he wanted to, if he felt like it, he would. He hadn't wanted to come back here before, and his brain shut down even thinking about this place when his thoughts drifted to it for the longest time. That changed.
But why did it change? His fingers slowed, and the Houluh whined. He resumed his motions. Tale knew he might have changed enough to come back, but not enough to dissect his own motivations.
[13]
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