Sauron encounters: Tevildo
Sauron was closing up his forge for that day, feeling greatly satisfied – so far, everything seemed to go smoothly – Junior's campaigns was lowly picking up the pace, renovations were nearly done, and more moved into his domain.
Of course, in the back of his head he still had this feeling that everything went too smoothly, but it was most likely due to the fact that he preplanned everything way ahead, but it was better to always keep his guard up, just in case.
When he closed the door, keeping himself on edge paid of surprisingly quickly.
His head jolted backwards, sensing an unwanted presence. An intruder?
He listened to what his forge's warning and slowly, moving without a sound, he approached one of the furnaces, and there, he found a red-yellow cat laying lazily on top of it, uncaring about its surroundings.
It purred with delight as the furnace was still warm, not realizing that Sauron is standing above it. With a single move of his hand furnace temperature raised significantly.
"MREOW!" Cat jumped into the air, right into Sauron's grasp, and the surprised cat looked the Master of the Forge in the eyes.
"Meow?"
Moments later door opened and cat flew on the street outside.
"Return where you belong." Sauron commanded, yet cat landed on all fours, turned to him and gave him a "puppy eyes", pleading for it to stay.
But the door shut and closed all the same.
The next day
Annatar was giving his next creation finishing touches, a slight polishing here, a little adjustment there to make it perfectly shaped, and when he was satisfied, he picked it up and turned to his guest.
"You asked for…" He started but much to his displeasure, his guest was distracted by a red-yellow cat, scratching the animal behind it's ear while it purred in pleasure.
"I didn't know you have a cat!" Man said as he now pet the cat's head and it purred even louder. "What is its name?"
"It does not have one, and it's not mine." Sauron said, but before he could do anything, cat quickly approached Annatar and started rubbing it's head against his leg.
"It seems to like you!" Man laughed while Annatar looked at the cat with consternation. "You sure it ain't yours?"
"Of that I am certain." Annatar snapped his fingers, and one of his workers came up and picked up the animal.
"Meow." Cat left a displeased sound but surprisingly, it didn't try to bite its way out.
"Carry it as far away as possible, you may even use a vehicle."
"Right away Chief!" Worker walked away with the cat and Sauron found it starring right at him accusingly.
Few hours later
"All preparations for the festivities are nearly done." Doug Volta, representative of the Stonecradle said and started counting on his fingers. "Attractions ready to set up, cakes and sweets will arrive on time, pyrotechnics are ready…"
"And Red lions promised to not cause a ruckus. Not to mention your 'militia' promised to provide security." Asana Asim from Clashtara added with a smile. "I have a very good feelings about it."
"So, the plan remains the same." Annatar nodded his head. "We will prove to those doubting that both human and faunus not only can coexist, but also…"
/MEEEOOOW/
Everyone in the gathering frowned.
"Was that a cat or…" Volta looked at Asana and she scoffed.
"Not funny."
/MEEEEOOOW/
Annatar's stare narrowed at the window while red-yellow cat sat right outside and scratched it, like it hoped to get inside.
'Whose cat is that?" Asim voiced question which appeared in every head gathered in the room.
"I have no idea." Sauron stood up, approached the window, scared the cat away and pushed the curtain.
Later that Night.
With great interest Sauron experimented with the gravity dust in his laboratory, testing the correlation between the object's weight and the amount of gravity dust used to lift it when he heard a commotion coming from his forge.
"What is the meaning of this?" He grumbled, ended the experiment prematurely, secured the dust, then closed his laboratory and went downstairs, all the while the sounds from the forge intensified.
"Intruder. Begone!" Armor chased after the cat while it hissed, slid under tables, jumped around and dodged the grabbing gauntlets attempting of catch it, all the while Sauron watched with great annoyance.
"I will have to make Snaga more agile" He thought with sour, not liking the idea of making improvements upon failure, then clapped his hands and the armor came to a halt.
Just when cat looked at Sauron confused, he lunged at it, grabbed it's by it's neck, then carried it deeper into his home.
He put it on a table, bound one of it's leg to it, then sat on a chair.
"Who sent you?"
/Meow/
"I understand your language, cat, so don't play a fool with me." His eyes shined. "Who sent you?"
"I came by myself" Cat answered.
"What master do you serve?"
"I don't have a master."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"I live here." Cat answered. "It's a nice place."
"I don't remember giving you permission to stay."
"I don't remember asking for one." Cat said with arrogance typical to its kind, which made Sauron growl.
"What makes you think that you can just come to my domain and live here?"
"Well, it worked many times before! But yeah, you are a strange case, One-with-Fiery-Eyes." Cat sat down on the table. "You are not falling for my charms like other bipedals."
"If by 'charms' you mean 'annoyances' then no, I am not falling for them." Sauron said. "And your trespassing is irritating me."
"Not my fault you have such prestigious place!" Cat defended itself, and these words made Sauron genuinely curious.
"Prestigious? Don't tell me cats care for prestige like humans do." Cat jumped on all fours.
"Of course we do! Cats living in houses are above dirty strays, who have to live in a gutter hoping that a bipedal will take them in, and cats living in mansions are above cats living in houses! It's common sense, One-With-Fiery-Eyes! Your kind understands that, right?"
"And you are a stray, and want to live here to improve your status?"
"I am not a stray! I live here!" Sauron growled while the cat continued. "Plenty of food, warm spaces, a roof and that red carpet…"
"Don't you dare tearing the carpet you…!" Sauron facepalmed. "So that's why you keep returning…"
"That's right!" Cat started wiggling it's tale. "I will always find the way back to my home!"
"It's not your home!" Sauron shouted, and cat covered a bit.
"Alright alright we can share…" Seeing Sauron's death stare, cat relented. "Listen, I watched you, One-With-Fiery-Eyes, you like to do what the bipedals call 'trade', so how about we do one?"
"Trade?" Sauron laughed. "What use could I have of you?"
"Take a look." Cat lowered its head, and upon closer inspection, he saw that cat's fur and skin is freshly marked by teeth and claws. "I got those from my recent fight for this place."
"Other cats are fighting you?" Sauron raised his brow.
"Is it that surprising? As I said, this place is prestigious, warm, I am fed really well…"
"I don't remember feeding you." Sauron interrupted.
"But bipedals working for you do it often." Sauron left a sigh, promising to himself that he has to make a talk about feeding stray animals, while the cat continued. "But others are not blind, they contest my territory, and for now, I am fending them off, but due to our little back and forth, more see this place as unclaimed."
"And yet you keep managing to keep them away. How?"
"Strong, young, and good genes." Cat answered with pride. "As long as I stay here, no more will come pestering you!"
"Too little." Sauron said, and cat thought for a moment.
"Then, think about your image! Bipedals love cats! Unless they prefer dogs. Yuck."
"Just so you know, I had dogs once." Sauron said, and cat tilted it's head.
"Do you have them now?"
"No, but I could if I wanted." Cat's eyes brightened up
"See? Then there is no problem! Back to the point – bipedals will see you as more relatable when a cat lives with you!"
"I don't have problems with my public image." Sauron said, then leant closer to the animal. "Now you are amusing, so I will give you one last chance to persuade me. Choose your words well."
Feeling cornered, cat started to think about an argument to finally convince him. Everything didn't work, his mother didn't have problems like that, abstracting from talking to the bipedal of course. So, it has to think out of the box…
"How about knowledge? You like knowledge, don't you?"
And Sauron's interest peeked.
"What knowledge your kind can offer me?" He asked. "Because if you mean hunting mice, then I am not interested."
"Of course not One-With-Fiery-Eyes! We have eyes and ears everywhere." It got closer. "We walk whenever we please, we follow whoever we want, we watch and listen everything that happens in the city! While your kin has to send funny-dressed and strange-smelling bipedals to follow other bipedals, we can do the same without rising suspicion nor concern."
"Do your kind really understand human languages?"
"Yes! It helps searching for cat-less homes and beg for food." It briefly explained, and after brief moment of thinking, Sauron nodded his head. Animal's argument, although vague, made sense.
"Then tell me, why would other cats share what they hear with you?"
"Strong, young, and good genes." It answered without hesitation. "And since I live here, others will have to treat me with respect… until stronger and younger kicks me out."
Sauron thought about this strange, yet unique opportunity – the web of spies spread around the city, being an extension of his ears and eyes. In fact, he wasn't particularly against using animals this way – back in Mordor, he extensively used fell-hawks to spy both his allies, and his foes.
"If you truly want to stay here, there are conditions: You will ensure that your kind will provide me intel I desire, and even follow those in particular that I have special interest in."
"Sure One-With-Fiery-Eyes! Grateful!"
"I am not finished." Sauron continued. "My library, my workshop and my laboratory are off-limits, you can't go in there under any circumstance, and believe me, I will know if you break this rule. You will only put your wastes in a designated place, not scratch your claws against walls or the carpet."
"Could you then make a scratcher?"
"…Fine. But general rule is – you obey my word without question." Cat yawned in response.
"Yeah yeah got it. As long as you don't kick me out." With a little spark in his eyes, Sauron picked the cat again.
"It's settled then, but there is one thing to do – do you have a name?"
"We don't need them, but we react to names given by bipedals, because they usually means food, but sometimes it means getting hit by a slipper. Or sprayed with water" Cat shuddered as Sauron carried it back to the forge.
"Oh I assure you – your name will mean so much more."
Some time later
As usual, Annatar was working on his anvil, each strike precise, shaping the metal into a desired shape, while his guest pet the red-yellow cat.
"I didn't know you have a cat." She remarked as it purred under her pets. "I took you for a dog person honestly."
"I'm not favoring any being above other, but I have to admit…" He looked at his cat, at the golden collar with written name: Tevildo, the Prince of Cats.
"…It grew on me."
Authors Note
After a wave of long chapters it's nice to have a break once in a while, right? That's what Sauron encounters are for! Especially since the next chapter will be a beginning of a new arc, focusing a little bit more on the main team, and Sauron ofc, while some characters are going for a break.
Patience, it's on it's way.
Alright, time to answer your reviews:
In response to ArcronDK:
„Good chapter as always." – Thank you very much!
And regarding your theory that the women warning Jaune was a Blacksmith… I do like it, it's really fun, and if I didn't have the idea already, I might have used it.
Konsilio: Sadly, it's wrong.
Yeah, sorry man but we have to deny this theory. But keep it up!
Have a nice weekend!
In response to Dhestrya
How Nice of… Wait, hang on a minute…
Gosh, I nearly got a heart attack here! You certainly broke the pattern heh.
Good grief.
Have a nice weekend!
In response to RedHood1:
I mean, not that occasionally using cliché is bad or anything (Unless it's too on the nose), but here, it makes sense – even in the main show Pyrrha was shown to have crush on Arc and honestly, and Jaune can be oblivious, but THAT… was beyond being oblivious.
However, like you pointed out, Morgoth is uncapable of even understanding what it means to "love" someone. But he does know how to hate someone.
Have a nice weekend!
In response to Valen Skata:
Gotta wrap some loose threads ey? It's time to push the story forward, maybe a little, but forward.
Or else I will drown in this swamp of threads.
As for little Sauron in the previous chapter – I get it, but in the past four chapters, he had the center stage – We saw his past, his relation with Gothmog and Celebrimbor, Chess game with Ozpin etc.
I am in a very peculiar position – On the one hand, I see that everyone want more Sauron, but on the other, I can't make him the only one doing something (I'm not J.K. Rowling who wrote all Harry Potter books from a perspective of one guy – It takes talent to pull off) because either I will run out of ideas, or "oversaturate" the story.
He is the main character, but even main characters take breaks.
For that very reason I made "Sauron encounters" – To occasionally balance things out.
I hope my reasoning is logical.
"Have you fused Merlot with that villain from Code Lyoko Evolution?" – I just took the name because I like it.
Tyrion, gosh, such a cool name! It's sad that the og villain was utter dogshit, but the name itself is cool.
But oh, don't worry – Doctor Merlot has way more in his arsenal, and many prototypes are inspired by the 'Quantum Realm'. And mutants are still on the menu.
"Well now I hope for at least a full chapter of this story delving into Code world. I wonder how would you do it." – Truth to be told, there is a planned side story
Konsilio: Written by MEEEE
But he have to get his act together first. In fact, our first ever story was supposed to be Code Lyoko fic, but we have never published it. Heck, we made 'Fixing Evolution' for fun and never published it.
Maybe one day, who knows.
Have a nice weekend!
In response to Cyricist001:
I understand your criticism, but one thing before I start – SDPS is not going to be the sole antagonists.
We have the White Fang and all its sub factions, we have Doctor Merlot who is basically a James Bond supervillain, Salem and her dark forces, Morgoth lurking in the Shadows etc.
And I have to make these factions different from one another, because if I don't, fights will be uninteresting and repetitive.
That's why Fangs are classic "Revolution going too far", Merlot "Supervillain", Morgoth – pure evil and so on.
That's bring me to the SDPS. Yes, I was inspired by the Schutzstaffel, and I am not going to deny that.
BUT RACISM ON REMNANT IS A REAL THING.
There are corporations which directly benefit from cheap labor, sending lots of people to mines, draining whole countries out of natural resources (canon event in Vacuo), citizens in the kingdoms treat faunuskind with disdain and even outright hostility. Heck, after the Great War Four Kingdoms (Especially Atlas and Mistral) basically did the "Madagascar plan" before White Fang knocked this idea out of their heads.
Kingdom of Vale treating faunus equally (with some issues but that's expected) is NOT a rule. It's an exception.
So, organizations like SDPS aren't that unbelievable to exist on Remnant. And I wanted to differentiate them from other factions, to show them as racist, professional and ruthless.
The fact that Atlas is the only militarized Kingdom doesn't help, in fact, it would be a prime recruitment ground.
However, even though an organization like this exist, that doesn't mean the whole nation of Mantle is like that! These guys are mercenaries on Jacques's leash, and heck, Atlasian military hates them! They are Atlas's dark mirror in a way – what it could become if not for people like James Ironwood.
Plus, mercenaries aren't exactly known for being nice.
There is a second reason – I want to stay out of current politics, as far as possible. And basing this guys on something relatively distant was my safest bet.
Konsilio: TLDR: We were being too lazy with inventing a whole new personality for a faction of bad guys that will play a secondary role in the story, but criticism taken, in the "Indiana Qrow and the staff of corruption" we will contrast these guys. When we will post this side story?
I dunno.
Thank you for your review! Have a nice weekend.
'
Tevildo was laying beside the hot furnace, taking a well-deserved nap. He basically got all he wanted – he had food, shelter, authority and other benefits. He had to follow some bizarre (in the mind of a cat) rules, but that was fine.
And that "knowledge sharing"? Cats learn a lot off stuff they can't practically use to beg for food, so who cares if he relays it to the One-With-Fiery-Eyes? As long as he is happy.
It slowly opened it's eyes, yawned and stretched, but when Tevildo looked around he found himself in a cage.
"Wait what?" It looked through the bars as Annatar handed the cage to one of his men.
"Take him to the vet, check if he is really healthy."
"You traitor!"
/Meow meow meow moew RAWR!/ Cage shook violently as the Tevildo trashed and hissed inside.
"He seems to not be fan of this idea." Goon remarked.
"He doesn't need to be Alex, but make sure the vet only perform necessary things. No castration."
"Sure thing boss!" Alex Goon turned on his feet and went to the car while cat continued trashing inside.
"If they take my jewels I won't forgive you, do you hear me!? You will live in the world of PAAAAIIN!" Tevildo screamed as the black car drove away, all the while Annatar was waving his hand, grinning from ear to ear.
"That's for earlier pestering's you arrogant pet."
'
That's all for me for now.
Take care
Dj