_DerpDerp_3rd Person POV_DerpDerp_
They had travelled far, for weeks, over the callous seas once the Sea Cow had been righted. Everyone was just ready to be in the comfort of the Cat's Cradle, with a lovely bed a piece and a hot meal. Only Oliver had any sort of energy; a young boy his age never tired quickly. Even Esther, who's Sagely blood pumped adrenaline at seemingly all times, was ready to call it quits for the day. Or month.
"Woa, sure is different from Al Mamoon, huh, Oliver?" She said with a yawn. She could hear the grumblings of Swaine, but couldn't be bothered with a reply at this level of tiredness.
"Proper massive, en't it, Ollie-boy?" Drippy exclaimed. Oliver could barely agree before they heard a slight, feminine yell and a slightly less feminine crash.
Esther, Oliver, and Drippy turn to see a thinly framed body running towards them at full speed, alongside her a feline emitting such a beautiful glow, Drippy had to pull Esther away before the two barreled over her. Swaine, however never turned until the girl was right up on him. With another yell, she attempted to side step the older man – so did he…
In the same direction.
A swift elbow met with a stubbled chin, and a cold meeting with the rocky Autumnia ground rendered Swaine unconscious, and the thinly framed woman came tumbling down right afterwards. Her feline creature just looked back at the shocked group with little concern in fearsome blue eyes before turning tail and sitting sharply. By that time the girl was up and, with a flick of what appeared to be a gun, shot behind her.
No one had seen the large, mechanical beast rearing behind them until it fell with a large howl of steam.
The girl sniffed before brushing some mud from her pants that… looked almost of mamooni culture. Just something slight was off. She glanced to the unconscious Swaine and quickly pulled a frown.
"I'm so very sorry – I did give him proper warning though, didn't I?" She spoke in a smooth, low voice, "I'll hook you guys up with a room at the Cat's Cradle – all proper-like. Promise. Just walk on in and tell them I sent you; I'll check on the poor man in the morning," she was almost too far away for Oliver and the others to hear by the time she finished. But as she did, her gait evolved into a loping stride that eventually turned into a long-legged, even more loping sprint.
"Uhh… Mr. Drippy… what just… happened?" Oliver couldn't quite believe himself. Had they really not seen that huge monster coming for them, or had it been following that girl?
"Well, at least she apologized, right Oll-"
"Guys? He's bleeding!" Esther called while moving Swaine's head to the side.
They immediately pulled together their strength to lift the older man up and on their way to the Cat's Cradle.
_DerpDerp_1st Person_DerpDerp_
Well, now I just feel guilty. I thought as I stepped inside the inn. The Hamelin air ceased its attack on my lungs and I let my sharp-toothed smile worm its way into the keeper's heart. She'd never say no to me, though. I do too much for her to say no.
"Now, what do you need of me young lady?" She purred out. I really expected her to just pounce, I'm fairly sure the keeper has been a closet lady lover for a good few years. Oh well. I used it to my advantage either way.
"Oh… just a few stragglers I sort of… ran into… out in the big bad world," I threw back the large saddle bag and readjusted a bit, "They need a place to stay." I threw a smaller bag on the table.
"Is this – no… Where do you find such things?!"
"All I want is for them to have room and board for as long as they need, no ifs ands or butts. I'm leaving Rory here. Send him if you need something." And with that I turned around sharply before the old woman could open that bag; I really wasn't sure if it could even work on me, but at the same time I didn't want to know. Maybe leaving the dualynx… a cat… with a cat lady… uhm. Oh well. As I stepped out into the square, I strapped on my required piggy helmet. I cannot believe you're making us wear these, kid. Of all your stupid self-loathing antics, this has to be the worst. Its… uhhh k gotta go. I ended my musings with that as I saw the young lad and female partner carrying the man from before. I genuinely hoped he was alright; I hadn't meant to knock him over but… well I was running from a huge-assed monster and I really wasn't all that concerned at that given moment but… now that I could see him, see the damage, the blood… I cringed a little. I took off at a long, hopping stride, and jumped the balcony to the lower end of Hamelin. I'll come back… first thing in the morning and make it right.
Before I knew it, I was in the palace and rightly on my way to see the Porcine Prince. You should've taken the title Emperor, kid. "Porcine" is such an ugly word… I kept on my muses as I sauntered past the Porco Grosso and its brotherly engineers and straight into the main hall, past it, and right into the Prince's chamber. Quickly and without so much as a bow to the royal boy, I threw off that nasty piggy head and tossed the saddle bag on the table – a few black truffles spilling out. Only then did I bow down, and even then it was only a little. The Prince and I had known each other a good portion of my life, and pretty much all of his save for the first year. We were far beyond formalities. His name was just too damn long for its own good for me to bother saying it.
"And what've you been up to, Taeil?" His voice was too smooth for that lavishly gruff pig suit he wore.
"Getting you your truffles, Prrrince – proper horrid search though, en't it? All the way to Al Mamoon and Castaway Cove was proving to be a hassle to get around." I tried to keep my natural speech and acquired accent under control as best as I could, but even old pros get a little confused from time to time.
I sat on his couch, feet propped up, and mused that I needed to stabilize a lovely sprain on my ankle. Maybe the old man had done more than originally thought…
"And why did you have to 'get around' Castaway Cove, Taeil?"
"No reason," I said with my nose in the air. We chatted for a while, the Prince worrying over how God-awfully ugly he was – yeah, pretty blue hair and pretty blue eyes and a lovely little voice. About as ugly as piggy princes come. After an hour or two, I just excused myself. Part of me just wanted to go to sleep; part of me wanted to go back to the Cat's Cradle – and that was further divided by my worry for the older man I had clearly either killed or brought somewhere near it and my worry for the safety of Rory at the hands of a crazy cat woman.
In the end, everyone won. I even treated the miniscule appetite I had gathered by raiding the Prince's pantry for myself and the four I had inconvenienced. As I filled up a large knapsack with a change of clothes and bread, milk, clucken, some fruits, more milk, and other random foods, I grabbed another little bag (this time it actually had money in it) and my piggy helmet and sauntered out the front gates with the intent of making amends and taking a day or so off via sleeping.
I was only a flight of stairs away before I saw Rory trotting down, wings laid back flat to ensure speed. He circled me twice before running back up the stairs, bobbing and weaving between legs and carts. I rolled my eyes and only quickened my pace a little; he wasn't going to die in a minute.
Once safely inside the Cat's Cradle, I began to take off that stupid hindrance of a helmet, but stopped at a distinct smell. I swallowed hard and walked as calmly as I could towards the keeper.
"What – uhhh… what room are they in, eh?" I choked out. No, I answered myself, that crap does NOT work on me.
"Hmmm?" The old cat was out of her mind. Probably took them to a closet. "Ohhh… ah… a purrrfectly quaint few rooms on the verrrry upper floor, dear…" Her beady eyes winked at me and I shivered and bolted upstairs, thankful she didn't ask who I was actually looking for. Up another flight and I was finally to the last few rooms; the only ones that had noise coming from them was my first target. The first one I came to, however, was definitely not the sorry group I had ran into; all three were way too old and didn't have enough clothing. The second one was a little more likely.
"Uhm… hello? Uh… have we done something wrong?" It was the blonde girl; clearly she was mamooni but… awfully young to be travelling this far.
"Oi!" I looked down as something – uh, one – decided he was going to bonk his lantern on my shin bone, "We're just pooer travelers, mun! No need to come on ouer backs just 'cause we don' have armor, en't it?"
Was he… a fairy?
"I'm not here to arrest any of you; I'm here to make sure I didn't kill that man," I said softly. I could get by without wearing any armor and no one from the palace bothered me, but I guess the jeweled helmet Marcassin mandated did make me a little… peculiar…, "And I've brought you all some extra food. Figured that, if I were truly going to apologize –" I threw the sack full of food and my change of clothing down to unbutton my helmet, "I'd best do it right; and little old Taeil doesn't mess around, like."
"Why do you sound like Mr. Drippy?" The younger boy asked – good God he looked like he was ten!
I looked to the fairy, "Your name is Mr. Drippy. Really?"
"Noo! It's Drippy – Lord High Lord of the Fairies!" he puffed up loudly. You're going to wake that poor man. I'd like to see him kick your butt, but he'd probably bust his own in doing so.
And then that mamooni girl let out a small cry while pointing… at me…?
"Whot?" I asked.
"Y-y-you have… uhm… you have… you… ears."
Blood rushed to my face and I made sure the small cloth I kept over my ears had stayed in place – nope. In the helmet it lay, just mocking me. Ugh.
"Esther! That's rude!" The boy said. Well, at least someone has manners.
"So! Youe're an old Grimalkin!" said the fairy. I could feel my face get even more red; no one had actually called me out on my ears – always been a sore spot anyways. "Yeah! Done the proper way, en't it, lass? Before youer kind got all edgy on humans like," he puffed up a little too proudly for his own good; I didn't really like the fact that I wasn't like most Grimalkins. Well. The ones in Ding Dong Dell, at least.
But all of those are inbreeds. Seriously.
"Miss, why are they messed up?" Oh. Dear. Ancients. They're not messed up! This is how we're supposed to be - humanoids with no fur, a tail, and normal looking ears that are pointed at the top and slightly furry. I was about to express my annoyance in the most polite way possible when I heard a groan.
Cool! He's up.
Yay. Swaine isn't dead!
So long as I get enough support that y'all actually enjoy this (I know it's just the beginning, but still) then I'll continue to bust out as many chapters as I can over this spring break. After that, the updates may be a bit slower, but still. That's why I have spring break, to create a stock if I need it.
R&R pweasey! It helps me feel better :)
S.
