| Logs |
2006-04-09
| Dreams |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Seeking Out the Wizard
It's maybe a week later, at that lovely moment of twilight where the soft gray fog of descending night gently hides the dirty realities of the city, softening sharp edges with a kind beauty that's accented by the occasional bright spark of light. Jason's on the tiny balcony of his apartment, looking out and down over the city below him, preparing to go visit Diana again. The very thought brings a pleasant tingle.
Mike returned to St. Louis, his home, several days ago. Watching him take his leave of Diana, Jason could see the mix of strain and desire on Mike's face... he suspects it's reflected on his own face too on occasion. Diana had been wistfully huggy, but not really clung to Mike -- which was probably a good thing for Mike's willpower. Before he'd left, though, they'd worked out a good schedule of how often they should visit with Diana so that no one is harmed, and Diana is still fed. Fortunately for Jason's health, Beatrice is still helping out, since the transition to adulthood isn't as clear-cut as flipping a light switch. Staying away is... not always easy, though.
These conversations and arrangements take getting used to. In spite of Jason's feelings for Diana -- and he does have feelings for her beside the carnal -- this is not a traditional relationship. It's probably wise that time together is more portioned, for safety's sake. But it's that that makes it different from having a human significant other... in those cases, often as much time as possible is wanted to be spent. It is definitely Jason's instinct to do so, and not just because of how compelling Diana is... but he sticks to it. He keeps at his daily routine, and tries to find sources of pleasure and joy besides that which Diana provides.
That said, he's more aware than ever of his surroundings. Even with Diana's promise of a mark from her soon, he's taken to keeping his knife with him, and has acquired his own crucifix in the meantime... not a cheap one for sale, but one actually blessed by the church -- hoping in the meantime he'll never have to worry if it works or not. Studying the crucifix before tucking it away in his pocket, Jason grins, remembering an anecdote he and Mike had shared while Diana was absent. Mike had amusedly commented about how his friends (having noticed he was spending a great deal of time visiting a girl in another city) had teasingly asked him when they'd be seeing him and her at the altar... and his rueful reply that she wasn't really the church going type from what he could tell.
The shadow of night is falling fast over the city as Jason ruminates... he looks up to see the bright sparks of light in the city are starting to be reflected in the twinkle of the soft, dark night sky. It's lovely and peaceful, a fitting opening to an evening with Diana. Only a few more hours before she's expecting him...
Abruptly, like a flash of lightning or a firecracker, he notices something light up in the city below him -- and just as quickly it is gone, leaving his eyes dazzled by the afterglow. Jason blinks, rubbing his eyes, wondering at what he just saw, and looking around to see if anyone else noticed. There are a few folks still visible, although it's getting harder to see them as night falls. Nobody's reacted, though, that he can tell.
There it is again! A few blocks away from him, further down the city in... would that be about where the ports begin? A bright, actinic flash, like a firecracker or... maybe a grenade would look like that? And again, although this time it looks like it's tinged with... green?! And... silvery sparkles falling from the explosion... how odd! And then it's dark again -- for the moment, at least.
Jason's flesh starts to crawl. Turning from the balcony for an instant, he grabs his channel changer and turns on the local news as he looks back at where he saw the earlier flashes... the 7:00 o'clock evening news comes on, almost banal in its normality. Same anchor burbling on about disasters in other parts of the world, same pointless ads... and behind him the city's horizon lights up again for a moment with beautiful colorful lights. Flash! ...then gone.
Roughly triangulating off of landmarks, Jason can tell the colorful explosions aren't occurring where Dante's is located... it's nearby but not really any more so than his own apartment is. This is closer to the ports. Jason purses his lips. He can't ignore this...but he shouldn't just go charging in blindly. On the other hand, if he waits... he's got... let's see. Diana's expecting him in just under three hours. That should be enough time, surely? Jason grabs his coat and paraphernalia -- adding to it a pad of paper and a pen, as well as a flashlight -- and flags down the nearest taxi. "Can't believe I'm doing this," he mutters...
The night sky lights up a few more times as Jason prepares. The taxi driver is laconic, drawling, "Where to?" even as his face is momentarily highlighted by the glow -- rather bluish this time, it seems.
"Take me in the direction of the docks," Jason says curtly. "I'll tell you where."
The taxi driver simply says, "Your dollar," and peels out to head down the hill towards the docks. He stops without comment when Jason instructs him to, a couple of blocks later. It's almost disorienting how he can sit calmly in the car, while splashes of blue and orange light up the street off to his left. Jason pays him, then turns and looks into the momentary darkness... now what. Jason hoofs it carefully in the general direction of the flashes, hoping for more to triangulate where they are, hugging the walls of nearby buildings, and the shadows.
It takes a bit to carefully angle in on the source of the occasional flashing lights, but Jason does eventually find it. The scene is curiously surreal... an ordinary-looking alley leading out to the dock area: dirty, stinking, trash-filled, treacherous with slippery puddles of filth and the darkness. Past it he can barely see the ocean beyond, mostly by noting the occasional boats at the old wooden docks. This is the poorer, less commercial section, and accordingly less populated. A shift of shadow at the end of the alley, a cackle of angry laughter -- and suddenly Jason is blinded by the brilliant flash of light he was looking directly at when it went off. Imprinted on his retinas, though, is the black silhouette of someone apparently throwing the bright light out onto the docks, at someone or thing crouching out there. Jason instinctively hides behind the nearest barrier, not moving till he's sure he wasn't seen, instead listening with his ears...
It takes his eyes a while to re-adjust, but from the low chatter at the end of the alleyway he's pretty sure the person there hasn't noticed him. He catches snippets of words, bits of phrases as the person -- male, he thinks, from the voice -- mumbles to himself, "-stinking sea beast, don't belong here!" Another bright flash, "-that! Essence of anomaly, that'll-" flash followed by a small crashing noise, "Ah! Shooting spells back, fiend -- where's my potions..."
Jason blinks...has he found an honest-to-gods mage? He peeks out from around the corner, shielding his eyes... then realizes he'll need to creep just a little closer to see clearly -- there's a lot of garbage and shattered crates and a few dumpsters in the way. He sighs, making his way carefully around...whatever this is, it's for damned sure he doesn't want to get involved. He's like a toddler in a trench.
This may or may not be a mage... but it sure looks like it. There's a very large, faintly green-glowing design patterned on the ground with the cavorting man in the center of it. He yells angrily as a sort of crawlingly... slimy-seeming light dives in, splashing against the pattern on the ground. Only a tiny bit of it gets through, but it causes the man to screech in pain when it touches him, staggering as he reaches for what looks like a crate of Coke bottles behind him. As he gulps one down, the disgusting scent of burning flesh reaches Jason's nose, stronger even than the stench of rotting fish.
The man finishes the bottle, throws it casually away, then starts gabbling madly again, waving his arms around. A moment later spears of light flash away from his hands and splash on the far end of the dock, where something hunched over and dark lurks in the shadows. If anything, the man seems frighteningly... twisted, laughing maniacally on occasion, and occasionally mumbling to himself. The crate of potions rests almost within arm's reach, and one of Jason's feet is touching the pattern where he crouches... yet the man seems absolutely unaware of his surroundings.
Jason just stays hidden and bears witness... quiet as a mouse as he takes in this odd combat. He gingerly pulls his foot back as he realizes how close it is... whatever purpose the circle serves, he knows enough to know it's probably a bad idea to smudge it. He looks at the crate curiously, but doesn't touch... whatever is going on, it's not a good idea to interfere when he knows nothing.
As Jason looks at the crate, another of the bolts of slimy feeling light comes writhing in at frightening speed, and the little man cackles and jeers, "Missed, missed, not even close!" Jason looks up -- just in time to see it apparently coming straight at him! As he jerks back instinctively, something hits him hard in the side at the last second, and the light strikes inches away from him as he's knocked sprawling. He's safe! -safe... although whatever pushed him is now fallen across him.
The gibbering man is completely unaware of what's occurred behind him, apparently completely healed up again from whatever struck him previously. There's a faint, tight groan of agony from whatever is sprawled across Jason. He can see little tendrils of the light crawling along the wound it inflicted, slowly dying down, and there's the familiar disgusting scent of burned flesh again -- this time from right in front of him.
Jason stares into the darkness, and fumbles for his flashlight, trying to determine who just saved his fat from the fire... the little glow of the maglight is a tiny circle of illumination in the darkness, showing in sequence a swirl of shining raven's-wing black hair, reddish skin... with a shock of horror and adrenaline he realizes it's Diana collapsed unconscious across him, with a long, scorched, bloody score across one entire side.
From the sight alone, he nearly drops the flashlight, aghast. "Diana?" he whispers to her, looking at the ugly score, trying to determine how bad it is as he struggles under her, trying to get up... Diana's eyelashes flutter, a dim glow escaping from her eyes, and she groans softly, then hisses as she's jarred by his struggling. "Don't move, Diana. I'm getting you out of here," he decides firmly, not caring now how much noise he makes as he squirms out from under her, having a mind to pick her up and get her to safety...
Actually, noise doesn't seem to be so much of a worry, as a small series of crashes and firecracker-like snappings go off. Diana's face is tight with pain, and she unwittingly closes one hand around his wrist as she tries to move. Her voice is a small hiss, "Hold... still, please -- hurts..." Five sharp pinpricks sting Jason's wrist where her fingers are digging in. She's strong!
Jason's face looks stricken. "Diana, I've got to get you out of here..." he whispers, and then gasps as her nails stab into his flesh.
Diana takes several deep breaths, wincing as she does so, and then her grip loosens a bit. She looks up at him, carefully forming the words as if she's struggling to hold onto consciousness, "Jase... how... how bad is it? C-can you see blood, or -- or am I leaking life energy?"
Jason blinks and fumbles for the maglite, shining it on her body... as he does so, her hand slips off his wrist, her head sagging for a moment, then jerking back up. The maglite shows a mixed view -- or perhaps it's his eyes refusing to believe what they see. On the upper and lower ends of the long, bloody burn across her body it does indeed show blood as the torn skin weeps. Shockingly, white bone shows through a little lower... and past that there's... nothing. Darkness... no, wait, is that a reddish glow? Is she... is that actually something glowing within her, in slow surges with her breath? Jason almost chokes back a sob as he sees the damage. "Oh God, Diana... I don't... that can't be good..."
Smoke rises slowly around the edges of the wound, curling in weirdly arcane patterns to his shocked gaze, and blood rolls slowly down her side. She sighs deeply, causing the glow within to brighten slightly, and mutters, "That... that bad... okay. Gotta s-swipe healing potion... p-pour it in... feel really b-bad..." The light ebbs a bit, and Jason can feel her relaxing across his lap. The glow's not gone though -- maybe she's just unconscious?
Jason hesitates, and then his resolve hardens. Squirming around but trying not to jostle her, he inches back towards the case of Coke bottles, straining, reaching for the nearest bottle and hoping there's nothing in there besides healing potions... there's a moment where Diana shifts a bit on his lap while he's stretched out. Then, before he can grab her, she slides off limply, hitting the ground with a small thump. Jason stifles a cry of frustration...but now unencumbered, he reaches out to the case, ignoring everything but grabbing one of those bottles...
Lunging out from behind the crates, Jason's timing is excellent -- the crazed little man is gleefully capering and crowing at an enormous explosion of light at the end of the dock. When Jason settles back he discovers he's more successful than he expected. There are two slender-necked, old-style Coca-Cola bottles in his hand, full of a faintly gold-glowing liquid that sloshes very slowly, like thick liquid honey. They're capped with a simple wax seal.
Jason puts one down, but then hesitates with the other... in her mouth, or in the wound? But she's on her front, in a bad position to swallow, and he doesn't want to risk moving her again unless he has to... undoing the wax seal and holding the flashlight in one trembling hand, he grits his teeth at the expected sight, and pours the honey experimentally onto the exposed wound... there's a moment where it smears across the bloody bones and shreds of muscle -- then a bright, fierce hissing as the liquid splatters onto the glow inside of Diana. Curiously, the more hissing there is, the brighter the glow seems to flare.
Before his eyes as he pours, he watches tattered muscle slowly knit, bones re-adjust and sheathe themselves in muscle, the inner glow turn a brighter fiery scarlet and then disappear as it is once again covered. By the time the bottle is emptied, there's very little remaining of the original horrific wound. A long, raw looking, nasty burn along her side -- that's it. Diana sighs softly, then groans again as she starts to awaken. Jason breathes a sight of relief, and tucks the other bottle into his jacket pocket as he tries to help Diana to her feet, and away from the battle...
She's groggy but awake, and as long as he's half supporting her it takes little effort to gently guide her away. Her clothing is a lost cause, there's damp and slime down her front, and she's shaky on her feet... but she's moving with him, leaning heavily, staggering a bit, and clinging to his shoulder. Jason moves slowly then, back the way he came, radiating worry as he helps her along as quickly as can be managed, and leaving the chaos behind him...
She seems to gather some focus as she goes, managing not to collapse. Jason soon finds himself at the back door of the bar, and he hammers on it with his fist, the metal clanging hollowly. A moment later it's yanked open, revealing the huge form of Croaker glowering down at him. The anger vanishes for worry when he sees Diana sagging and supported against Jason's side, and he reaches out immediately, scooping her up effortlessly and turning into the bar.
Jason catches the door before it closes and slowly drags himself in, suddenly exhausted. It wasn't as much the walk there, carrying Diana, but the emotional weight. Perhaps he never intended to put Diana in danger -- and that's why he went alone -- but it doesn't change the fact that it seemed she almost died, for him. His face is red, stained with fallen tears from earlier as he follows after the bouncer, who heads immediately up the stairs, ignoring the throbbing beat of music on the other side of the thin wall. Just inside the door is the ever-calm Joe, a shotgun casually cradled in his arms. He reaches out to lock the heavy metal door after it slams shut with a resounding clang behind Jason, then sets the shotgun down and nods to the young man, "Go on -- follow Croaker. They'll probably need some of you too if it's bad." Jason blinks at Joe with a lack of understanding, but doesn't argue, following in Croaker's wake with as much speed as he can muster.
Upstairs is Beatrice's bedroom, which Jason has never before entered. It reminds him curiously of his dream -- gorgeous tapestries on the walls and a rich carpet on the floor. There's a large, sumptuous bed Diana is lying on, pale and breathing slowly, her eyes dim. Croaker is in another room, where Jason can hear the sound of running water, and Beatrice is almost white with fear and anger as she neatly rips the remains of Diana's clothing off. Jason has no desire to bring attention to himself under the circumstances, and needs a moment to recover... so he just leans on the wall, and breathes deeply.
Beatrice whirls like a flame as Jason pauses in the doorway, her wings wide and her eyes bright with fire as she hisses venomously, "You-" In a quick bound she's across the room, grabbing Jason by a handful of clothing at his throat -- he hears cloth rip under her fingernails and the burn of a slashing fingernail and choking tightness around his throat -- and she effortlessly yanks him up off his feet, holding him up as far as she can reach and glaring up at him. Long fangs are bared as she snarls, "Whatdidyoudotomydaughter!?"
Jason reflexively grabs at the hand choking the breath from him with both of his own. "Didn't.... do..." he tries, spots coming before his eyes with surprising speed under the succubus' grip. Some isolate part of him finding this morbidly ironic... Diana saves his life, he saves her life, only to be killed by her mother... a moment later he can breathe again, as his feet slam into the ground -- he manages to grab the doorjamb and keep from falling. Beatrice has dropped him and whirled again, this time back to the bed, where she's leaning over Diana. Past the dizzy spots still dancing in front of his eyes Jason can hear Diana querulously saying, "Ama, n-no -- he s-saved me!"
Croaker appears in the bathroom doorway with a basin of steaming water. It's a surreal night... the huge man just nods to Jason and moves to set the basin on the bedside table next to Beatrice, then shifts to stand back against the wall near him. Jason coughs and gasps for air and decides sitting down is a good idea... to the untrained eye, it looks like he's collapsed... but be assured, he was just sitting on the floor. Beatrice is talking rapidly to Diana, who's speaking back a bit more slowly... at least, that sort of liquid birdsong sounds like they're talking? Lying on the bed, Jason can't see Diana at this point past her mother. She says something firmly -- if tiredly -- then calls, "Jason? Are you still there, sweet?"
Jason rubs at his sore neck, and looks wryly at Croaker. "Next time I mind my own business," he says in the man's direction. When Diana speaks, he waves a weary hand. "Most of me..."
Croaker nods silently to Jason, his face as calmly expressionless as always. At Jason's words, however, Diana gives a small hiss, then says something swift and unintelligible to Beatrice, who rocks back and answers with a hurt tone. "Jason, did Mother eat you? Uh... could you just come here, please?"
Jason blinks, slowly coming to his feet. "Not unless she eats with... oh..." He realizes what she meant. "No... just some neck bruising..." he explains, rubbing at the raw flesh as he walks over.
Beatrice glances at Jason, then simply turns and wrings out a washcloth from the steaming hot water and starts very gently wiping Diana's body clean. Diana herself looks very pale still, which is a bit visually disconcerting on such a red-skinned person. Her eyes are bright with worry, and she reaches a hand out to Jason as he approaches the bed. Jason takes her hand, squeezing it firmly. "Is it really still that bad? I think I still have another healing potion I swiped from the mage..." he asks of Beatrice, putting aside the choking between friends as he fishes in his pocket for the bottle...
Both women stare at Jason, electrified -- then Diana whispers, "...you... got two?!" She laughs suddenly, her hand pulling him closer, "Oh, you're wonderful, Jason! Did you know that was what I was there after?" Beatrice stares at Jason for another moment, then turns and continues gently wiping blood and filth off Diana. She grumbles, "Foolish girl -- you're going to get yourself killed for real one day, you know..."
Jason looks bemused. "Wait... so you didn't follow me there?"
Diana smiles, her eyes still weary, "Actually I followed you once I noticed you, sweet, but I was initially... umm..." She falls silent as Jason stretches out next to her on the bed, then turns her head not to face him and murmurs, "Ama, help... he really smells GOOD!"
Beatrice raises an eyebrow, watching Jason, then smiles, "Jason, we understand what you're doing seems entirely normal, but if you stay there you'll be teasing her to eat you... and right now that might not be healthy for you?"
Jason blinks, and abruptly realizes he's no longer in the position he was... one moment he was leaning over Diana, and then there's a disconnect and he's on the bed beside her. "Wait, what..." he mumbles, and then abruptly gets to his feet at Beatrice's words. Diana carefully doesn't look at Jason until he's off the bed, instead focusing on re-telling the story to her mother. Curiously, despite the blood and mess around the wound, despite the weariness on her face, her nude form looks stirringly desirable to Jason, as Beatrice continues to calmly clean her daughter off. Jason finally looks away from her... these thoughts are not appropriate right now. He focuses on Croaker instead. "What just happened?" he whispers.
Croaker nods once silently to Jason, gesturing to indicate he should sit nearby. It's Diana who says a little hesitantly, "I... I'm sorry, Jason. We heal best from the same energy we eat, and -- and I must've... umm..." Beatrice glances over her shoulder at Jason, then says smoothly, "Why don't we discuss it more later, darlings, mm?"
Several minutes later the healing potion is sitting on the bedside table and Diana is all cleaned up. Beatrice has apologized prettily to Jason for assuming he'd harmed her daughter, and departed with the silent Croaker -- although not without a firm admonishment that Jason not lie down next to Diana. In the bed, Diana's been tucked under a soft, colorful down comforter so only her wan face shows, with a spill of sable hair over the pillow and falling down off the side of the bed. She smiles at Jason tiredly. "M-maybe I'd better not hold hands with you just now, sweet. But... I wanted to say thank you for saving me.
Jason finds himself gripping the chair, as if worried otherwise he might find himself an inadvertent snack. "It was my fault. I should have just ignored it, but... I was worried. I didn't want to be caught with my pants down," he murmurs regretfully.
Diana blinks confusedly at Jason, "You... your pants... what?"
Jason smiles wryly. "I meant... I saw the lights from the fight... I was worried it might be something that could be a danger to you. Or me. I wanted to spy, and then go find you so you could tell me what was going on..."
Diana looks faintly relieved, her voice drifting a bit, "Oh, good. No, don't take your pants off just now, please? I... think that'd be a bit much for my self-control just now..."
Jason barks a laugh. "I didn't mean... it was just an expression, Diana... there are no pants actually involved..."
Diana smiles at Jason again, her eyes tired but warm, "Okay. Thank you for getting the healing potion, sweet -- we really needed that. You did the right thing; don't feel bad, please?"
Jason can feel it again -- that gentle tug to just go lie down next to her, cuddle her close, keep her warm and safe -- but this time he's able to recognize it for something he shouldn't give in to. "I can't take credit for something that was inadvertent..." Jason mumbles, and then that wave of... whatever passes over him again. "Maybe I should leave, Di... you're still twigging me to join you, even without my touching you..." he adds, brow knitting in worry. Diana looks a bit unhappy, a bit guilty, but just nods silently, watching Jason wistfully. She looks very small in the huge bed, her face pale against the brilliant indigo coverlet. Jason hesitates... he doesn't want to go... even without whatever it is that's tugging him like a moth to a flame, he hates to just see her like that, and not be with her. "Rest well, Di... I'll be close by," he whispers, before finally leaving the room and shutting the door.
There's a chair outside the room, and under his feet he can again hear the music throbbing on the floor below. He's in a short hallway with two other doors, stairs leading up, and the stairs leading down that brought him here. There are soft panting cries coming from behind the door just down from this one, away from the stairs, and he realizes the door's not completely closed. The soundproofing in this building must be just amazing. Jason finds himself flushing... these are things he really doesn't want to think about right now. He goes over and quietly closes the door, not even a whit curious about what's going on inside.
He sits in the chair then... maybe he can't be in the room, but he's not leaving. Not now. In spite of everything that was told to him, he still feels like this was somehow still his fault. As he sits, he also wonders what the healing potion was all about... and why in the world they'd need one. Then again... he supposes that just because they're demons doesn't mean they know magic...
Some time later Beatrice emerges from the room where he closed the door. She's nude herself now as well, her skin gleaming softly, almost glowing. She brushes her hair back from her face as it floats about her, streaming fire-like in the eddies of air she creates as she walks. Her tail snakes in smooth agitation about her, while her delicate wings are half-spread behind her. She pats Jason lightly, absently on the shoulder as she walks by, murmuring, "Almost done here, dear; don't worry about a thing..." It's vaguely like being comforted by a force of nature. She steps into the room Diana's in, leaving the door ajar behind her. Jason can hear that soft birdsong-like language again.
Jason blinks at Beatrice's sudden arrival... but then, he should have guessed that's what she was up to. She did say Diana needed energy. In spite of his worry, he can't help but find Beatrice compelling, all nude and full of energy. He says nothing as she speaks, though, only nodding and waiting... and absently glancing at the door Beatrice came out of. That door is also partly ajar. Beatrice doesn't seem to have a lot of concern for privacy. Jason is vaguely curious about who she got the energy from... especially when he finds himself suddenly concerned that, in Beatrice's desire to heal her daughter, she might have gone too far. He gets up, and slowly crosses over to peek in...
He's not sure whose room this is... Diana's, maybe? There's a lovely carpet on the floor here as well, and a small bed against the wall with blankets, and a pretty Chinese lamp hanging at the ceiling, and is that a large dog curled up on the floor there? -no, it's huge, what is it, a bear? There's another of those cold shocks of adrenaline down Jason's spine as the thing curled up on the floor shifts and makes a vaguely inquiring rumbling noise, raising its head... its huge, horned, bovine head!
Jason's response is calculated and eminently appropriate, considering what he's been through tonight. He faints.
He wakes up a short while later. It's dim and quiet, and he's lying on something soft. A... bed? Whew! Must've been a bad dream. Jason blinks, and quickly looks to both sides, making sure Diana's not next to him. She's not -- but he is in her room. He thinks it's hers...? There's a nice smelling bowl of soup steaming gently on the bedside table, with a spoon and a glass of cold water. Stretched out across the doorway, as far away as possible from him but still in the room... is the huge form he saw earlier.
Jason doesn't faint again. But he does recoil and clutch at the sheets. "Gyahhhh!" he greets the reclining form intelligently. It answers with a faint, rumbling snore. Now he's a little calmer he can see a bit better... it looks like a very large and well build human torso, shaggy black hind legs with huge cloven hooves, and a thick, powerfully muscled, shaggy neck to support that broad, heavy head and the curving horns. In fact, now he's got a moment where he's not worried about something dire happening, the soup smells wonderful, and the rumble in his stomach seems to indicate it would not be remiss.
Further, as his eyes adjust to the light he can see a few more things about the big bull-headed man. There's something glittering on the horns -- looks like they've been decorated. Maybe metal engraving, or a decorated metal band was hammered close onto each horn? There's also something faintly glowing floating around the lower jaw line of the big bovine head... could that be what a mark looks like? The fur is neatly brushed, now he's looking more carefully, and he can see what might be bad scarring, old and pale, around the nose, which is pierced with a bronze ring.
Jason looks dully at the bovine-man for a few more handfuls of seconds. "Well, what the hell. We've got succubi and mages... why not World of Warcraft Taurens too..." he rumbles, finally turning and grabbing the bowl hungrily, gingerly sipping at the soup to make sure it's cooled... the soup is delicious -- regular chicken noodle, it tastes like. Jason eats it down, a bit surprised at how hungry he is. He finishes the water in short order too... but then he has a new problem -- how to deal with the minotaur-thing blocking the door.
While Jason's eating the big bull-man shifts slightly, one horn thumping solidly into the wall. It -- no, he -- grunts slightly, one eye opening sleepily, then closing again... finally he sighs gustily, both eyes opening to watch Jason silently. His quiet, calm gaze reminds Jason of something or someone. Jason blinks, and realizes he's being stared at. "Evening," he says finally, not sure what else to say.
The minotaur rumbles something in return, in a basso profundo that feels like it should shake the floor. Curiously, although Jason can hear the sound with his ears, in his head he hears a quiet, "Evening to you too."
Jason looks startled. "Hey... I can understand you!"
The minotaur nods slightly, rumbling again. In his head Jason hears, "Of course. My lady says you are a human seer. Seers always Know things."
Jason blinks. "A see..." he pauses and thinks about that. "A seer," he says to himself. "That would... explain a lot." He looks at the minotaur again. "Do you know how seers come about?" he asks curiously.
The minotaur sits up slowly, bracing himself against the wall, then yawns hugely. His teeth are large, ordinary bovine teeth, except for two sets of canines in the same place humans have them, and his tongue is a very long but ordinary bovine tongue. He licks his nose slowly (causing the brass ring to flip a bit) as he thinks, then rumbles. "No, young lord. But I know you are the young lady's Chosen, even though you don't bear her mark yet, and I know you're the reason I'll be able to stay and remain able to think." He puts both huge hands in front of him side by side, then dips his huge head in what Jason is pretty sure is a gesture of respect, rumbling the while. "Thank you."
Jason feels like he's in an anime show from all the blinking he's doing. He can almost hear the sound effects: 'pikupiku.' "Er... explain that to me again? Why wouldn't you be able to think?"
"I don't really know. I just know my lady helps me keep my thoughts clear, and in return I serve her and the young lady and keep them safe." He sighs gustily again, then lowers his head so Jason can't see his face. His rumbling sounds the same, but the quiet, low voice in his head sounds ashamed, "They found me living wild out in the countryside a few years ago, hunted like an animal by the local humans... they caught me and tamed me, and when I'm around them I can think clearly. They brought me here. I owe them my sanity."
Jason listens to the minotaur's words, nodding afterwards. "Okay... that makes sense, I suppose... but how am I then responsible for this... stroke of good fortune?"
The minotaur looks up at Jason at that, and the quiet voice sounds both relieved and pleased, "My lady uses the healing potions to help me, Seer. I don't know what exactly she does, but it's part of how I can think, and fit in here. For that I'm happy to give her all the sexual energy she wishes. We needed one soon; we were out. You brought it to us."
Jason ohs! Things now fall into place. "Well, I... well, you're welcome," he says abashedly, once again feeling like he's being given credit for something he didn't earn. He then tilts his head. "Do you look like this to everyone else? Or do you look human... like Beatrice and Diana do."
The minotaur chuckles -- a low, rolling thunder of sound -- then replies, "I look like Croaker, Seer. I just can't speak in that form."
Jason looks startled, but then realizes where that moment of familiarity came from. "Oh, I see." He tilts his head. "How long will the potion last you?"
The minotaur considers, his ears flattening in concentration... then shakes his huge, heavy head, "I am sorry, I do not know that well. Um... as many moons as my fingers?"
Jason struggles a moment to translate that..."So, a little less than..." He then checks to see how many fingers the minotaur has, "...ten months. Well, ideally, that should be enough time to get more..." he muses...
The minotaur nods calmly, then politely asks, "Is there anything I can do for you, Seer? Anything you need? More soup or water or sexual energy or anything?"
Jason catches himself before he laughs. "I don't require, uhm, sexual energy... I'm sorry, do you have a name?"
The slow, calm voice is faintly surprised, "Of course, Seer. I am Croaker."
"Oh. I'm sorry, I thought that might have just been a false name for humans... Croaker, I would love some more soup, if you would," Jason says politely. Then he blinks, realizing he just said 'humans' as if he wasn't one himself.
The minotaur rises slowly and with care, checking visually to make sure he doesn't knock his horns or head against anything inadvertently, then nods to Jason, "Unfortunately I do not remember my birth name. The first time I tried actually speaking in the human tongue they said it sounded like I was croaking, and it made the young lady laugh, so I asked her to name me. As far as soup, we have plenty downstairs. I will get more and you can rest here until you feel ready to see your lady, yes?" He reaches carefully forward, almost looming over Jason as he takes the little bowl on the bedside table. He can sure fill a room! Up close Jason realizes one more thing -- he's a very, um... well endowed beastie for sure -- startlingly so. A moment later and he's gone, his heavy tread progressing slowly down the hallway.
Jason lays back on the bed in wonder. "Curiouser and curiouser," he murmurs, well aware that he's quoting Lewis Carroll. "Still, I'd like someone like that at my back," he admits, scratching his chin.