Felinis: Oh boy here I go writing again

Yuri idly brushes his hair back as he looks to the Krytians. "I...I was wondering if you could tell me what I am and stuff."

The short-haired girl tilts her head slightly and her green eyes start to widen. "You don't know...?"

Yuri feels ashamed at their stares and scratching the table in hopes it'll give him some comfort. "Yuri, and I both grew up in Zaphias." Flynn states firmly. "We've never met any other Krytians prior to this."

"You really don't know anything." The barman gaps a little. Yuri tries his best to explain what he knows about himself. He tells them of the horns and his episodes. They listen to him and nod absorbing his words. "It's strange…" The man rubs the stubs of his horns looking at his eyes for anything unusual. "You give off the essence of an Entelexeia, yet you're practically human."

"Entelexeia? You mean that Krytian sub-race thing?" The group chuckles and Yuri raises a brow with Flynn.

"That's not quite it." The black-haired Krytian chuckles. "It's more the other way around." So, Krytians are a minority of a minority...? What? "We're the decedents of Entelexeia, but we hardly have a claim to the race anymore. Krytian these days are closer to humans than anything."

The short-haired girl sips slowly from a glass of scotch. "It's a shame. Even if we want to we can't be anything like them…"

"What are they like?" Flynn says and the Krytians drift their faces to the blonde who they've mostly ignored. "The Entelexeia. Do they have horns or hear blastia?"

"Some have horns from what I've been told, but I'm not sure about the blastia." The barman says poring them a drink. "But, I guess you're really asking if they look like monsters?" They both nod. "They do… but you're not like that for some reason."

"Maybe it's because you aren't a real one?"

"Yes, while he does feel like an Entelexeia it's clear he's not much different than your average Krytian."

"It's quite sad. He clearly has the blood, but it's muddled."

"I wish I knew more about them so that we could understand just what he is. It might explain the horns if I did."

All the words that Merlwe had scorned drift in and Yuri bitterly sips his drink. It's more than ironic. Hanna was a human and Lowell an Entelexeia... "In the end, I'm still a dirty halfer." He laughs hollowly and smiles. "Ever heard of an Entelexeia named Lowell?"

They pause and start whispering between each other. Flynn puts a soft hand on his in a form of reassurance. The barman narrows his eyes at him. "Lowell… Lowell is the name of the one who helped to spark the great war. He's a traitor to many and because of him…" The barman clenches his fist. "Because of him… the empire chose to hunt Krytians for sport."

"They say he destroyed his own brothers for his own volition." The short haired one spits. "He was terrible. My mother says that Lowell is the reason we had to flee from our old hometown."

"I see." Yuri hangs his head a little. Way to fuck up dad. "What about Hanna Quinn? That name ring any bells?" They all shake their heads and say no.

"I think you should meet the Duce." The black-haired one say.

Flynn seems surprised at the words. "You mean the leader of Palestralle in Nordopolica?"

"Yes! She can tell you all about these matters much more than us."

Flynn crosses his arms and narrows his brow. "That's a long trip."

"What about Myorzo?" Yuri asks softly.

The black-haired one seems amused. "That's a wise tell parents say to get children to behave. It's silly superstition!"

"No it's not!" The short-haired girl protest. " It's real. I know it! One day I will go there and live away from these awful humans."

"Cali, you know that's delusional. Myorzo is lost to us who were left behind." The barman speaks in a comforting tone as places a hand on Cali's shoulder. "It's better to think of it as wise tale."

"What happened to Myorzo?"

"It ascended leaving the Krytians away from the city stranded here. No offense to your friend, but humans and us don't get along well." The barman says somewhat bitterly. "They say that was Lowell's doing too. It's a dream of the Krytia left behind to return to Myorzo one day."

"Why don't you?"

"You'd need to fly for that."

"Thank you for everything." Yuri says getting up not quite happy or satisfied with everything.

The group bows. "No, it was an honor meeting you. We pray you find success."

The streets are empty for the most part and Yuri takes in a deep breath. "Entelexeia… that's what I am." He holds arms out wide and gives a lopsided grin. "And looks like my Dad was a giant criminal!"

Flynn knows the look in Yuri's eyes well. It's the sad smile of disappointment and cold acceptance that Yuri wears when he hears someone bash him for being himself. Yuri rests his sheath on his shoulders and walks down the street with a sad gate. Flynn knows that Yuri must have hoped for more. Or at least something happy, but all he's gotten is that his father was terrible and that he really is a monster.

"I think I've seen them. At Caer Bocram they had one trapped under the lake and the dragon that spearman was riding. Both felt familiar."

"How so?"

Yuri ponders a bit slowing his pace. "I guess… It's my chest hurt, but there was no pain. And a part of me felt a need to respect them..." His voice trails as he looks at his clawed hands. "Like- like- they were Norien or Olive."

"Will you go find them?"

"Ehh, the one in Caer Bocram didn't leave on friendly terms. So I need to find the dragon rider, but I doubt it'll be easy."

Flynn sees the foul mood that's under the surface as they walk. "Want to get some ice-cream?"

"Only if you're paying."

"You know they're going to charge me times more!" Flynn exclaims and his friend just grins.

"I know." Yuri leans over and pinches his cheek as Flynn bats him off. "That's what makes it worth it."

Flynn rolls his eyes playfully as they try to hunt down some ice-cream. "So, Nordopolica huh? That's cross continent."

"That's gonna be a pain in the ass. But, that person might give me some answers beyond being an Etnelewhatever." Yuri says as he searches with for anywhere they can grab a frozen treat. It's late enough that with everything that's happened finding anything open is a challenge, but they do manage to get their hands on some eventually. "It's a good thing I never mentioned being his son. I think they might have gotten pissed."

Flynn tries to look at things through Yuri's logic and things the best way to get Yuri to be honest with himself is to rebut his denial. "It's not like you ever met him so why should you care?"

"Well, that's harsh coming from you." Yuri says taking a long lick.

"You were thinking it."

Yuri stays quiet a second, because he was. "So what? It doesn't matter anyway…" He sighs. "I guess, I did want to finally hear some good news about him. Every time I learn something it always comes down to him being a war criminal or a traitor... It just makes me wonder."

"But, it's kind of cool." Flynn grins slapping him on the back. "You're half ancient monster. That has to count for something."

He rolls his eyes. "Oh yes. I can enjoy the thrill of running for my life when the townsfolk come after me with pointed sticks."

"Yuri-"

"Right, right, they're called spears. I know." It's Flynn's turn to be annoyed. "You need to learn to laugh more before that pretty face of yours gets all wrinkled."

"Well, at least I didn't develop bald spots when I was ten."

"These don't count!"

"Yes, they do. If they didn't you wouldn't be so sensitive."

"I'm not sensitive!"

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not!" Yuri smacks Flynn in the face with his ice-cream cone and sticks his tongue out.

"You're such a brat!" Flynn wipes the ice-cream off his face and smacks Yuri with his cone on the head.

Yuri snorts ironically and pulls Flynn into headlock. "Oh, so I'm a brat!"

Flynn pulls himself out with enough ease and lightly yanks his antenna. "Yeah, you are!"

"Fuck, you Flynn!" Yuri says playfully kicking him. "I am ten times more mature then you."

Flynn laughs grabbing his foot and lightly tapping Yuri on the head while Yuri nips his hand. "I'll believe that when I no longer have to keep track of how often you bite me."

"What are we up to now?"

"Twenty-nine. You bit the shit out of my hand when you grew those antennas." Flynn says as they just stop with a smile. "I should get back. My brigade will be wondering where I am by now." Yuri's face seems to fall unconsciously with an 'oh'. "Perhaps I'll see you around."

"That be cool…" Yuri mutters not seeming to focus on anything. "Don't worry. I'm just thinking."

Flynn waves goodbye as he leaves and Yuri stands in the street by himself pondering. Yuri keeps his head low since it's a new moon tonight as he walks back to the inn. He's almost hoping for an episode, because it would distract from the thoughts lurking in his head. Yuri's heard it all growing up.

Cursed

Damned

Abomination

Bastard

Unwanted

Disgusting

Demon

Hell spawn

Halfer

Diseased

It's almost hilarious how the one that always seemed one of the nicer insults ends up having a ring of truth. A monster… He's like them and he hates that! Yuri could have lived with just being a weird Krytian, but when he looks at his hands… The claws are so much thicker than they were as kid. His teeth are sharper and he knows he's still changing. He feels it crawling under his skin and the way those horns get thicker. "I want to stay human."

He's hungry again and he's not sure why or what for. It's been there since he grew antennas and he's not sure why. It's sitting there in his stomach driving him crazy as the hunger noshes away. When he gets back to the room at the inn he's almost too frustrated to sleep. He pulls his hair down brushing the tangles and winding himself down. He looks at the antennas and ventures touching them again. It doesn't hurt as much before to his surprise. He rubs them idly and it calms his nerves a little reminding him of when Norien would brush his hair. He tries to think of what Flynn's mother would say to cheer him up. Probably, she'd tell him that he's still the same as he's always been and that Yuri just smile and sass anyone who'd try to pick on him. It makes him smile as he lays on his pillow and drifts to sleep.

Felinis: I'd like to think that the reason why Yuri and Flynn are such sassy gentleman is that Norien was all about that courtly southern aggression.