Post by Albel Lockhart on Sept 25, 2015 5:02:34 GMT
The sun was starting to set, and pretty much all the Templars had returned home, except for those who were on patrol. Albel wrapped up the last of his paperwork, finally signing his name on the last one of the stack. He let out a sigh, of relief or fatigue, he wasn't quite sure. He kicked up his feet on his desk and leaned back, one hand over his face. No one was going to come see him at this time, because he wasn't even normally here at this time. But good lord, what a day. In the old days, members of dark guilds would have been hauled off to execution without a trial. He was trying to do things differently and at least take it by a case-by-case scenario, which is how he decided to give Roxy a chance. More details on her background had come out - apparently she was part of an established family. Maybe his initial gut feeling was right about her, even after all the trouble he'd given her.
A single cluck interrupted his thoughts. He the palm of his hand away from his face, staring down at a chicken. It was positioned almost like it had come to see him, like how a person would approach his desk, except it was obviously a chicken and not a person. "Are my men so inadequate that they seriously can't catch a single chicken?" He rubbed his temple. It was like a chicken from hell. Silver had pulled a serious prank on him by letting the coop loose in his office. He certainly had enough leverage to make it even, even if he couldn't prove her responsible. But this one chicken, just this one chicken, kept popping up in the strangest of places. Usually around him. It honestly felt like it was taunting him. "She went back on her word about calling me Captain, you know. Which means our agreement is off. When you do get caught, I'm going to enjoy a NICE fried chicken dinner." He'd originally promised Roxy not to harm the chicken if she didn't call him Lockhart. Yeah well, that hadn't gone through. So maybe he would eat the darn chicken just to make a point.
Ah yes, the chicken. The fowl had wandered from room to room, sometimes actively following in Albel's footsteps, other times simply clucking at the room as if in approval or disapproval. The sounds were difficult to distinguish; it was unsurprising that no one had been able to figure out the chicken's opinion on anything. When it spotted Albel heading back into his office, the chicken followed as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and hopped up onto a chair opposite the desk where it promptly fluffed its feathers and settled down.
Did this man really speak so much to himself aloud? Wasn't that a sign of something wrong? Or perhaps his thoughts were better spoken so that another could hear and correct them, or offer an opposing opinion. The chicken let out a soft cluck, as if chiding itself for thinking such things, and instead focused all of its attention on the man sitting before it.
Albel was an imposing figure, but he like every other man had his flaws. Surely he had vices, things that the chicken had yet to fathom or see, yet if it continued to follow in the Templar commander's footsteps, perhaps it would learn all the more about the man. As it was, he had accepted the woman accused of several criminal acts into the fold of the Templars, though he clearly had reservations about doing so. Their entire exchange had fascinated the chicken, and it had eagerly awaited hearing her answer. The two had been genial once the woman swallowed her inherent anger and accepted that Albel was now her commanding officer.
The chicken clucked, bristling its feathers. It was a laugh, though it noticed no one else seemed to share in its amusement. Albel instead sat there glaring at it like it had caused some major catastrophe.
There was no way Iden could pass up the chance to run amok inside of the Templar headquarters, especially with such determined compatriots! The other chickens had been so thrilled and terrified when they were released en masse! Iden could still feel the thrill of excitement even in this simplistic form, and once again ruffled white feathers. The sharp beak gleamed in the light of the room as they lifted their head to stare at the commander.
Iden's eyes widened and they tilted their head to the side, making a concerned bawk? noise. Being eaten? That didn't sound like an experience Iden wanted to have, even if a part of them was intrigued. Instead, Iden gave an indignant squawk and pecked at the wooden armrest of the chair they sat on. No way was Iden going to just sit there and let the Commander eat the meat from hollow bones. If the man so much as reached a hand, a stern pecking would be applied to those fingers, of that Iden was certain. Beady eyes glinted at Albel as the chicken stood, clawed toes digging into the soft cushioned seat, and flapped its wings in a show of its ability. Right! No one would come near such a fearsome display! It worked for hawks; why not chickens as well?
Post by Albel Lockhart on Sept 25, 2015 21:10:21 GMT
After his initial rant, Albel remained slouched in his chair, feet still up, hair hanging down as his chin was pointed to the ceiling, gaze lazily upon the chicken. It didn't answer him, of course, being a chicken. Nor did it seem to care all that much about his threat of eating it, or actually, It did seem to get a bit worked up, flapping its wings and clucking back at him. The thing was ruining the chair. Albel wasn't quite sure he cared enough to shoo the chicken away, either. The spirited hen looked ready to peck his fingers off if he tried, and as tempting as it was to chuck his boot, he didn't want to lose his boots either. His earlier threat at the chicken was more just him taking out his general frustration out. Although he wouldn't be against eating the darn thing.
Albel removed his feet from the desk, rising and correctly stacking the papers, pushing his chair in neatly. Leaving the chicken to its own devices, he strode out of his office. It was probably getting too late to drop by the tavern, so he'd probably just go home. Already he'd outlined a potential mission for Silver and Roxy, with himself as an addition. Even though he'd comitted to taking Roxy into the Templars, he wasn't completely sure that he'd made the right decision. The HQ was eerily quiet, he passed by a corridor outlined in glass. Outside the sun had set a fair ways, darkness already creeping into the sky.
Giving up so easily? The chicken regarded the captain after it finished pecking at the chair's arms and seat, half expecting hands to try and grab and chuck it bodily into a vat of oil. As it was, the hunger in the captain's eyes did not diminish, but neither did the man abruptly stand up and rush forward. Rather, the man looked thoughtful, as if considering how much trouble it might be for the desired fried chicken, and apparently made his decision to forego it. Instead, he sighed, tidied up, and headed out the door of his office.
The chicken followed, hot on his heels.
Night was rapidly approaching, leaving the world in twilight's shadows. The chicken paused at the crystal clear windows, staring out at the emerging stars that dotted the sky, but quickly caught up to the Captain as he hurried on his way.
As the shadows grew long, and the entrance to the Headquarters fell away, so too did clawed feet begin to lengthen into humanoid legs. The round, fluffy body elongated and stretched until it was the chest and torso of a man. Arms replaced wings, tips of them extending into fingers, until with a shudder and a gasp of audible breath, a man stood in the place of the Captain's follower. Of course, where the chicken had merely been able to cluck and squawk, this man, perhaps merely a teen, had a full vocal range to utilize.
"Where are you going?" he asked curiously, following in Albel's footsteps and purposely stepping on the other man's shadow with each step. Whenever he came close to losing the step, he quickly leapt ahead, and a grin lit up his face. "Off to cook a chicken? Don't cook any of the chickens, okay? They were scared they might get eaten but they really liked running around your office. And the hallway. It was fun! Maybe. Mostly fun. Who was that person? She's going to work with you for now on? She didn't seem to understand why you were being so harsh. She was angry. Were you angry?"
He was moments away from poking Albel's back just to see how the man would react.
Post by Albel Lockhart on Sept 29, 2015 3:18:15 GMT
The area was fairly quiet, almost too quiet, and Albel was starting to get the feeling that he was being watched. Out of more instinct he happened to look halfway behind him, almost at the same time Iden asked where he was going. Albel nearly tripped in surprise. He was used to war and had plenty of experience in scenarios were enemies followed him. While those days were past, it was still too recent for him to lose his edge. Or maybe he had? He'd certainly not heard the other man until entirely too late. Albel made a mental note to re-gain his edge in the future. His first inclination was to defend himself, but his mysterious stalker had intended to strike, he would have already done so instead of asking him questions.
Questions. It sounded like this man had been spying on him. But at the same time, there was so much nonsense it was hard to discern what the other was truly after. Was he a dark mage? If so, a dark mage wouldn't approach him alone. Albel's eyes quickly surrounded the area, but there were no noticeable signs of anything else being off, so his gaze focused back on Iden. Something was entirely not right about the man, and he couldn't decide if it was dangerous or not. "I'm angry that I didn't notice you spying on me sooner," he answered Iden's question, albeit not about Roxy. And then it dawned on him. If this man was interested in Roxy, and that she had joined the Templars, then... "You're a dark wizard that came to find information on her?" His eyes narrowed.
"She's with the Templars now, maybe through circumstance, but still through her choice. It was a pretty logical conclusion considering you guys didn't show her any loyalty," he spoke with confidence, but it was actually the opposite. He'd told Roxy that no one in her guild had sent someone to rescue her - which was true at the time. Just another sign of the Red Talons' betrayal, or apathy, to what happened after her service. But if someone did come, then it meant that they did care. He'd have to be both extremely careful when dealing with Iden, and also decide later what he wanted to tell Roxy. "What do you want?" He demanded, getting straight to the point. It could also be that this man intended to kill her.
Iden was practically skipping in Albel's shadow. When Albel came to an abrupt stop, Iden nearly ran straight into him. Really, why did the man look so upset? Hadn't he enjoyed himself with the chickens? It seemed so silly to be all frazzled. Then again, most people reacted like this - flustered and unsure and - well, the look in Albel's eyes was more... suspicious. Iden tilted his head to the side and before Albel could react, he poked the man in the forehead, just at the bridge of his nose. Then he let out a laugh, his face lighting up with his widening smile.
"What's a dark wizard?" he giggled. He blinked, paused, and took a moment to actually think about the question. Maybe he already knew the answer to such things. Nibbling on his lip, he stared off to the side, pulling through the bits and pieces and smells and sights and came up pretty much blank. Returning his speckled gray gaze to Albel, he stepped closer, into the Captain's personal space. "And who's 'you guys'? I don't know her." He glanced around and his smile returned. He didn't hesitate to meet Albel's gaze with an intense stare of his own. "I don't know any of 'you guys', I guess. Except the chickens. Oh! And the dogs - they're really loud, but they want to have fun with everyone else, but the chickens don't like to be chased, so don't let the chickens and the dogs play with each other."
Post by Albel Lockhart on Sept 30, 2015 4:31:41 GMT
Albel visibly frowned the more Iden talked. Or asked questions. Was the man an idiot? He certainly seemed mentally unstable. He remained unconvinced of Iden's allegiances, but knew there was a possibility that this man wasn't in a dark guild. Albel had simply guessed based on the other's interests, after all. At the very least, it didn't seem like Iden meant any physical harm against Albel... Although he was ready to summon the phantom blades if needed. "Do you now," he said dryly; it wasn't really a question. People didn't follow him coincidentally. He was the Templar Captain - and people who followed always had a motive. "A dark wizard is a lawbreaker that hurts other people. If you're not a dark wizard, why are you following me?"
Sneaking in as a chicken, what a ludicrous means of infiltrating the Templar base. What Albel could deduce, it seemed this man had used some kind of magic to become a chicken. That could certainly explain why the darn thing was so persistent in evading capture... and also for retrieving information. After all, what people accepted as harmless altered their perception and made them more comfortable - a chicken, by nature, wasn't exactly a suspicious being. Was it possible the other chickens were also dark wizards? No, that seemed like far too much a stretch. "What do you want?" He repeated, since Iden had never really answered. If he had no connection to Roxanne, Iden must have wanted Albel for something else.
Perhaps Albel was like so many that Iden had encountered in the past. Be they peasant or noble, they had this look of unease, and more often than not it showed up when he started asking questions. Sometimes they were simple - questions about the village or the local lord, or the greenery or plants or any number of subjects - but they were always met with suspicion. More than once it had nearly ended in bloodshed... on their part, naturally. Albel reminded him of all those people, but with an even heightened awareness. Perhaps the Captain had been in the war?
"I'm not here to hurt anyone," Iden said easily. "I mean, I could but there's no point, right?" He shrugged. "Too much trouble. Or too little. I don't know."
He studied Albel a little more, bouncing on his toes, before his attention was diverted by the world around him. It really was amazing, to be able to touch and taste and smell and feel and experience, but people made it difficult. People in general made things so confusing. He tilted his head and focused his eyes on Albel again, looking into the other man's eyes without blinking.
"I want to learn," he finally said, answering the question first posed to him. "Everything there is to learn. This place is really big, and there's lots to see, and there's more and more that I learn about every day - like what a dark wizard is!"
Last Edit: Oct 1, 2015 1:55:51 GMT by Iden Valence
Albel sighed as Iden continued to talk. And 'explain'. Nothing was explained really, and dealing with the other was giving him a headache. It was like dealing with a kid, but Iden certainly didn't look like a kid. But neither could he have much to gain by pretending to be an idiot, either. Dark mages, while certainly many had their personality quirks, generally desired something (or a shortcut) that the law wouldn't allow. He smiled wryly as Iden looked him in the eye and proclaimed he wanted to learn. "I can't tell if you're insane, genuine, or both," he admitted. "Dark wizards are lawbreakers, whereas us Templars are law enforcers. So long as you don't hurt anyone, or plan to hurt someone, then I have no issue with you."
No issue, maybe, but Iden seemed to desire more. The Templar Captain hardly considered himself interesting, but perhaps something had drawn Iden to him. That situation with Roxanne? It all seemed very strange, but Albel got the sense that Iden was no ordinary mage. If he let him wander alone... he might find someone a lot more dangerous, or willing to teach him dangerous things. "I can't help you learn everything, but I can try to help. Why don't you and I get some dinner - and I'll try to help you learn. What do you want to know?" He knew a nearby diner that would likely be deserted at this time, being mainly a lunch place. If possible he wanted to avoid any other Templars, and their interference.
Iden smiled brightly at Albel, pleased with the direction this whole conversation was going in. Some things - Templar versus dark wizard - were still hazy for him; the two terms were not mutually exclusive in Iden's opinion. Anyone could be anything they wanted, and if that meant being a Templar or a Dark Wizard or a rabbit, who was he to judge? Besides, he could learn so much from so many if people would stop being so closed off. Why didn't they talk to each other, interact, reach out? They studiously ignored each other more often than not, and it boggled Iden's mind. Why anyone would stop themselves from learning was beyond him.
"Good," he said fervently. He stepped closer to Albel, into the commander's personal space. "I'm not planning any of that." Of course, just because it wasn't planned didn't mean it wouldn't happen. Humans were disastrous creatures, after all. "And I have no issue with you! As long as you don't hurt the chickens or get them into trouble. It wasn't their fault that they ended up in the hallways and your office." An almost wistful tone flickered through his voice as he added, "They were happy to be free."
Roxanne too, if her shifting expressions said anything. She may not have been pleased with the whole situation, but Iden could have sworn they'd seen a little hint of relief in her mannerisms. Lots of things had been interesting as a chicken, though; Iden's thoughts had been rapid and without direction several times as they slipped through a new form, so perhaps they had mis-seen.
"Well, if you can't teach me everything," he chuckled, knowing full well no human or creature in the world alone would be able to do it, "anything you can teach me would be fine. I've been traveling and seen lots of things but so much of it doesn't make sense." The smile didn't leave his lips. He started walking away from Albel, towards the forest. "So, hunting dinner, then learning?" He itched to shift again, his skin pricking at the thought of burning away some nervous energy that always seemed to sit heavily inside of him.
Post by Albel Lockhart on Oct 13, 2015 15:36:02 GMT
Not planning any that... no hurting people or breaking the law, huh. The exact way Iden had chosen to phrase it didn't completely pass the Captain, even if he recognized that the other was parroting his own speech. Was reasoning even possible with this man? Was he even a man? Albel was starting to feel that this situation was entirely more magical based than anything else. He lacked the skills to verify just how far into the magic vein Iden might be, but he was fairly certain this was no illusion magic.
“No, I know the person responsible for letting the chickens in the office,” he resisted a grin at that. He knew who was responsible, but he couldn't prove it. So he'd dumped Roxy into her lap. It was fair enough, or something like that.Was he... some kind of animal rights activist? The other had mentioned not harming the chickens multiple times now, though it was difficult to tell if that was simply because Iden liked them. No, it seemed unlikely. Especially when the other mentioned hunting.
Uhhhh. “Hunting wasn't exactly what I was thinking of...” Did the other not understand how most people stored and ate food? Or restaurants? Apparently not. But now that Iden had made the offer, Albel had to see how the other man did it. “Though now you've got me curious to see how you hunt.” He followed after Iden, keeping in step with the other. The man didn't seem to be carrying any tools, so perhaps he would use magic of some kind. And while the Captain had hunted in the past, and cooked with gamey meat, it wasn't something he normally did... even less now that he traveled rarely.
“And in terms of learning, you'll have to at least give me a category – like landmarks in town, our country's history, magic, people, or... something.” There was a lot of things this man might find interesting, though at the same time it was hard to decide where to start.
Iden paused, eyes going wide, and turned to stare at Albel. "You know who let them free? Can you thank her for me? It was getting rather stuffy in that little house. Mind you, the chickens were kind hosts, but it was loud and hard to move around much, even in the yard."
Of course, Albel's next comment made Iden laugh heartily and nearly skip forward. "If you don't hunt, how will you get good food?" Certainly he knew he could buy food from one of the stalls - or simply take it when no one was looking - but it was so much easier to just hunt down something that was alive and free. He was vulnerable out there, and it made it a fair trade off - after all, another animal could find him just as tasty as he found a brace of rabbits. He rolled his shoulders and stepped into the shade of a tree.
Over his shoulder, he glanced at the Templar Captain, and smiled widely. "Anything. History, people, landmarks - any of it. You pick something you like to talk about, and I'll go get dinner. That way, it's even! We're both busy doing something."
And just like that, Iden's senses narrowed. They closed their eyes, searching through themself for the answer to what they would become, and listened to the response uniquely theirs. This was no magic, no sorcery. This was purely Iden, and Iden knew it for certain. They let their eyes slip closed as skin began to rapidly grow thick, shaggy gray fur. Hands and feet became paws with extended claws. Clothing disappeared. Anything human disappeared. A tail, fluffy and just as gray, wagged lightly back and forth. Across their back was a marbled pattern, extending from their right shoulder, across their back, and down to their left hip. In the tufted left ear rested a series of earrings, following down from the point until it nearly reached the skull. Sharp teeth disappeared beneath a lolled tongue as Iden panted away.
Wolf instincts always made the world appear brighter, their nose dragging in scents from a world that was so limited by a human body. Like this, they could tell out in the forest where a bear had recently been, where several rabbits were hiding, waiting for a chance to escape, and where children played tag under the watchful eye of an adult. They smelled the bread baking in the city, the stench of sewage carried off away from the populace, even Albel's scent, which was different and unique to him. Iden strode forward, tail swishing lightly behind them, and nosed at Albel's empty hand. They let out a bright bark, grinning with jagged teeth, and turned to head into the forest. They paused among the trees and tilted their head, waiting for Albel to follow.
Post by Albel Lockhart on Oct 22, 2015 21:51:26 GMT
Thanking the person responsible for the chicken adventure was the last thing Albel planned to do. Even if he couldn't prove that she was the one responsible, he'd find a method of retribution. “Masquerading as a chicken seems like a rather odd choice. Most wizards seem to prefer more familiar forms, like cats.” There were also the takeover wizards, who took over the souls of monsters, but they were very rare. And Albel had never heard of them taking over the souls of animals.
He paused again when Iden asked how he would get food without hunting. Before he could think of an adequate reply, the other had transformed into a wolf. Now that was certainly a form that humans coveted, although something about Iden's transformation was odd. It lacked the usual spark of energy that was normally associated with such magic. What was this person he'd found? Was it even a person? Albel's thoughts were interrupted as the other nudged his hand. Perhaps slightly at a loss of words, he nodded his head and followed – although at a slower pace than the lithe wolf, although it seemed the other was trying to accommodate his speed. It was really more to watch the other than join in the 'hunting' himself.
For now Albel was going to go with the assumption that this person – chicken – wolf – whatever it was, wasn't human, and knew very little about them. He'd heard tales of dragons sometimes pretending to be humans, so perhaps this was something like that. He was already thinking about what to tell Iden, ranging from cultural norms (he'd realized a bit too late they never exchanged names), to simple facts about the world around them, to Fiore's history.
Pressing their snout to the ground, Iden picked up a scent not far from where they and Albel were walking. A deer, if they weren't mistaken, and a fairly young one at that. Barring their teeth, tail lowering behind them, shoulders hunching and chest towards the ground, they edged forward. Blood roared in their ears and the smell only grew stronger, making every muscle tense in their body. Iden found their prey standing in a small clearing and drew back their lips to reveal razor sharp teeth. Soon enough, Iden jumped forward, taking the deer by surprise, and clamped down on the upper leg. The deer let out a frightened cry, but it was too late; in seconds, Iden's jaw clamped around the deer's neck, and the other animal shuddered for a few moments before going completely still.
Iden licked the blood from their lips and panted at the side of the deer. Realizing they might have lost Albel in the quick movements, they grabbed up the deer and began dragging it through the woods. They only stopped when they heard Albel's footsteps and sat down, disturbing the grass and debris with their wagging tail. In front of them lay the deer, freshly bleeding into the ground. Iden gave a sharp bark and nosed the deer closer to Albel as if to say, 'Here's the meal!' without the actual words. They cleaned their paws and jaws before settling with the same wagging tail. In this form, it was harder to communicate, particularly if the person on the other side of the conversation had no idea what Iden meant with physical gestures.
A deer should be enough meat for them both. Iden wanted to just rip into it, eat their fill, but they also wanted to share this meal with Albel. Wasn't that what had been requested in order for Iden to learn more about this world they found themself inhabiting?
