| Logs |
2008 November 29
| When The Bough Breaks |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Bough Logs |
First Movement, Third Solo
A few hours after being given the mission from Vijdis, and being given time to prepare, Jareth is meandering through the town of Icewall, exploring a little and seeing if anything catches his attention.
Now that he sees many more people up close here, he can more fully see the many different types of people. Most are elves, but there are a number who are different. And there are more than a few mortals, as well. Overall Icewall seems faily diverse, as well as quite comfortable and tidy.
It's as he's people-watching that he comes upon the bazaar, or marketplace, surrounding one of the larger wells of the town. There are a large number of people here, and a great bustle and business of bartering, trading, selling, and buying.
while he's watching, though, he suddenly feels a warm breath on the back of his neck, and a purring, rather husky, "Why hello there again, Jareth-kun...."
Jareth has been wandering through the bazaar with the unabashed stare of someone that doesn't know not to look too amazed. His grin and curiousity keep him from seeming an utter yokel... but only barely. The warm breath and the lovely voice both surprise him and pique his interest, several interests actually. He turns his head, smiling, not entirely certain who it is, "Hello..."
Perched on the edge of the roof and peering eye-to-eye with him -- albeit upside-down -- is the sleek kitsune Okori. She beams happilly, righting herself before merrily pouncing on Jareth's shoulder. And how are you doing today, mm?"
Sight of the kitsune makes the young goatherd grin even more widely. "Well, Miss Okori. What a pleasant surprise." He reaches up to stroke her ears and down her back as he would any friendly creature.
She purrs contentedly, arching her back into the petting. "And what a pleasant touch! Oh, but I'm being rather forward, aren't I? So how are you this hour? And what brings you through the bazaar of the village?
Jareth grins at the purring, laughing when the kitsune declares herself forward, "I don't mind forward, lovely." He starts moving carefully, seeing if she can balance herself on his shoulder, "I'm here because this is where the people are. I'm fond of people."
Okori manages to arrange herself properly upon his shoulder, laughing softly. "Why thank you, Jareth-kun. And I can fully understand people-watching. It's quite amazing sometimes. In fact you just missed Mikal and Raphael and Norris. Mikal doesn't like crowds very much, does she?
The young man smiles, "She's a sweet little rabbit. She thinks people are going to eat her, I think." He reaches to pull her tail forward over his shoulder.
Okori curls her tail about Jareth's neck like a lush stole. "Well, this is rather new to her, isn't it? Your village was somewhat on the small side, compared to here...."
Jareth absently runs his fingers through the bushy, soft fur and mmms, "Compared to here, our village is a speck. It's small enough that everyone knows everyone else."
"Mmm, and it would take some time for you to even get to know half the people here, I think. Still, I hope it's pleasant here for you."
Jareth laughs happily and nods, eyes bright as he looks at all the different people, "I love it here." He manages to look a little abashed, "I know we're here for a serious purpose... but I can't help but loving all of the new things."
Okori lightly combs or grooms some of Jareth's stray hair, grinning. "There's stranger than this, certainly. So it's good that you don't mind new things!"
Jareth continues moving through the bazaar, absently enjoying the grooming, "Mind? I love new things!" A particularly exotic-looking creature passes by and Jareth turns to walk backward to continue watching, "One of the bards that came through town called me a sponge for stories."
Okori giggles softly as Jareth watches the person. "It sounds like you'd make quite the bard yourself!"
Jareth laughs and stops into a booth selling spices, the scents are things he has never experienced and he all but pushes his face into some of the bags and jars, "Mmm... I've not got the gift of words that bards have."
"Words can be learned, Jareth-kun. THough I suppose putting them together pleasingly can be a trick sometimes...>"
There's another grin and Jareth says, "Tricks aren't hard to learn, really." He steps back into the street and asks curiously, "Mikal talked like you were a human-shaped person. Or did I misunderstand her?"
Okori grins. "I can be, sometimes. I can be many things; I am a trickster, after all! But mostly I stay as a fox. I don't need as much to eat, I can get away from bigger things faster, and I can hide much easier.
Jareth's eyes shine at this idea, "You can change shapes?" His grin gets even wider, "What I wouldn't give to be able to do that! There's a time or two that getting away quick would have been useful... do you have any idea how small some people make their windows?"
Okori giggles, "Oh, it's very fun! But you're a mortal, you'll be able to do it, in time, I'm sure. You'll just need some practice...." Then she realizes what he said. "Ooooh, so you had to escape through windows? What were you doing that needed that, mmmm?"
Jareth isn't a bit abashed, "Nothing I wasn't invited to do! But sometimes fathers, or, well husbands.... they get a little grouchy." He laughs, remembering something, "Norris had to fix my blade once because I broke it on a window frame." His long, nimble fingers are still coming through Okori's tail(s), "You really think I'll be able to do that? Can you show me? Or is this one of those 'you get to learn it yourself' sort of things?" His eyes twinkle a little, "Would you want to show me your other shapes?"
Okori giggles merrily. "Oh, I see! are you sure you weren't a bard?" she teases. "And your shapechanging won't be the same as mine. Mine's inherent, yours will be... kind of learned, since you're mortal." She grins slyly. "Oh, you want to see my other forms...?"
Jareth enjoys making Okori laugh and it just fuels his own smile, "I guess I'll have to find someone else to teach me, then. But I'd love to see what other forms you have. I mean, you're a beautiful fox... even if you have some extra tails... but I'm curious."
Okori giggles, and looks around briefly, before slipping off of Jareth and casting a glance at him over her shoulder. "Come on over to someplace... secluded. It's impolite to shapeshift in the middle of the market....."
Jareth pushes his hands into his pockets and saunters after Okori, nodding as solemnly as he can manage, which isn't all that solemn. "Always good to know the local customs."
Okori giggles softly, padding into an area between houses. "And here is a fox-trickster-spirit luring you into a back alley and you're going willingly?"
Jareth seems to think about that for a moment and says, "Well, I'm thinking that if you meant me any harm, you would have done it long before this. And you'd have picked a better place." His grin lights his face again and he pushes his bangs back off his forehead, "And Mikal trusts you, and I trust her judgement."
Okori laughs cheerfully. "True! But you never know with us tricksey foxes!" THen, somehow, it's not entirely clear, she seems to stand up; it's not quite a visible change, so much as somehow, she's just there in one form and then in the next. She is not entirely petite, with a curvy figure, and a round, pleasant and unmistakably foxlike face. She wears a loose kimono that drapses off her shoulders, trimmed and lined in white silk but with an elaborate red emboridered pattern of foxes and caligraphy on the outside. Her hair is in silky smooth bangs but is a bright russet orange, with the tips turning to snowy white. her eyes are orange and slitted as before, and she has three large, lush, bushy foxtails weaving behind her. She grins, and pirouettes. "What you were expecting?"
Jareth leans against one of the buildings, watching Okori. He stands up very straight and blinks as she's suddenly no longer bipedal. Several possible reactions flit through his mind and he he finally settles on laying his right hand theatrically over his heart and declaring, "I certainly didn't expect to have my breath stolen away. You are... magnificent." it's a word he's always wanted a chance to use.
Okori giggles, and does another half-turn to display her tails. "Kitsune have been accused of stealing many things, but I confess that's one of the first times i've been told I've stolen that away from someone! Not quite the picture-perfect Yamato nadeshiko but I'm glad to see I can still turn the occasional head!
Jareth puts on a shocked face, "Not perfect? Who'd be so stupid as to think that?" Again, he presses his hand to his heart and says, "I'm surprised there aren't men falling down in your wake from sheer desire." There's a playful gleam in his eyes despite the dramatic pose.
(Log stopped Wed Nov 26 1908 11:09 PM by "BoughGM" at "Bough Soundstage" OOC)
(OOC) Fri Nov 28 1908 07:59 PM by "BoughGM" at "Bough Soundstage" (OOC)
Okori laughs musically. "You're such the charmer!" she teases. "Thank you, Jareth."
Jareth's grin is friendly and he reaches up, stopping himself just before his fingers would have brushed her hair to say, "Can I touch?"
Okori's grin widens as she sli-i-ides next to Jareth. "What do you want to touch?" she purrs teasingly.
Jareth laughs and says, "Well, for the moment, your hair. But what am I allowed to touch?" His eyes don't wander over her body, but stay locked quite boldly on her own.
Okori's grin widens. "Yes, you may. And for the moment, that, until of course we get to know each other better. I wouldn't want to do something to harm you or your friends."
The goatherd laughs and thinks to himself, 'Having someone tease back is sort of interesting...' Most girls of the village weren't as quick with banter as Okori, even if some were adept at flirting. Reaching out, he strokes his fingers first over her bangs, then over the rest of her hair, testing to see if the texture is human hair or fox fur.
(Log stopped Fri Nov 28 1908 08:12 PM by "BoughGM" at "Bough Soundstage" OOC)
(OOC) Sat Nov 29 1908 06:12 PM by "BoughGM" at "Bough Soundstage" (OOC)
Okori smiles slowly, eyes half-closed as she lets Jareth touch her hair. It has a silky texture to it, and yet it feels, somehow, distinctly foxlike. "You mean nobody ever flirted back at you?"
Jareth is fascinated with the texture and lets his fingertips slide over the rest of her hair, almost petting her. His own eyes are watching her expression, "Mmm... they flirted back, but they didn't flirt the way you do."
Jareth pauses and asks with a grin, "You are flirting with me, yes?"
BoughGM half-opens her eyes to peer at Jareth with some amusement, though she's been slightly moving her head to feel jareth's fingers through her hair. "Yes, I am," she says, purringly merrily. "Is it that much of a surprise?"
Jareth starts to let his fingers move to touch the curve of Okori's ear for just a moment, examining them, then remembers she said hair only, "Hmm... you're just the first person I've met here who didn't seem to be mostly deathly serious." He shrugs, "I know it's importan, what we're doing, but I can't stay serious for very long. Tomas and some of the others seem to think it's a failing."
She doesn't quite startle when Jareth touches her ear, but she doesn't smack away his hand, either. Instead she makes a soft, comfortable sound, opening her eyes as he speaks of people being serious. "Mmm. Most of them are. Serious, I mean. But a lot of it is just what they've seen and their natures. Armaros has gone through hell since the beginning, Maerlyn is a shadow of what he once was. The elves, at least those who aren't in charge, manage to live well enough. I think that might be sort of why I'm still here in the Winter Palace grounds. To remind them to not loose their sense of humor."
Jareth gives Okori's hair one more caress and then pulls his hand back before he's tempted to let his fingers do more exploring. "It has been my experience that many people need such a reminder." He's moved in closer to the kitsune and says, "Your tails are still very lovely, too. Did I mention?"
Okori's laugh has deepend to a husky purr-like sound. "No, you hadn't, but please feel free" she teases. SHe tilts her head, and her smile becomes a bit sly. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander, hai? Would you let me touch your hair?"
The young man rolls his eyes up to look at his hair. He doesn't exactly take great pains with it and it looks both a little tousled and windblown. "Well, given the nature of my hair, it's hardly a fair trade, but you may." Tipping his head down to be within easy reach. Or maybe he's just ducking closer to be closer.
Okori giggles softly, quite contentedly running her hand through Jareth's hair, and being a bit more friendly about it. "That may be so," she says, "but it's the least I could ask of you...."
Jareth doesn't quite nuzzle against the kitsune's hand, but he does make it so it's easy to pet him. "What's the most?" It's out of his mouth before he can stop it.
Okori's expression is a blissfull smile, and she laughs at Jareth's question. "Oh, that would be telling!"
Jareth couldn't grin any wider if he tried. "I suppose it would be at that." He lets his eyes travel over the kitsune's human form, "So, why did Mikal think you were lonely?"
Okori mmmms thoughfully, letting her fingers slip through the ends of Jareth's hair as she finally stops petting. "Possibly because I am, somewhat. I live mostly in the forest. For all our vaunted tricksiness, kitsune are... shy." She winks a little. "We hide it well, usually."
Jareth mms thoughtfully, "I tried being shy once. It didn't really work. I spend a lot of my time with goats, but that's more about the whole small-windows thing than me wanting to be with goats."
Okori laughs merrily again, then looks around covertly. "I think," she murmurs cheerfully, "that I shall turn back into a fox, and then you and I will see what there is to see in the market!" And with that, in one motion, she has turned back into a fox, and leaped neatly up onto Jareth's shoulder. "And I promise to... try to keep my paws to myself," she says, somehow without giving any indication that she's going to.
Jareth murmurs, "Well, that's disappointing." And then he's moving back out of the alley, grinning.
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