milliways_bar | (no subject)

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officer parkman

(no subject)

Today, when the Beast Princess rolls on in, she's accompanied by a great, big, white --

thing.

It scrabbles around on the floor to regain its balance, finally rearing up to reveal itself to be an enormous white wolf. Its lips are drawn back to expose huge teeth, and almost immediately, San's put herself right in front of the snapping jaws.

No, she says quickly, This is the place I told you about -- the odd futuretime, with the Eric God.

The wolf's wariness only decreases by a hair.

San, we do not belong here, it growls.

She smiles, a little ruefully, patting her brother's muzzle.

It is not the forest, I know, but it's not bad. I'll get you something to eat.

[ tiny tag ; hao asakura, san, the librarian ]

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As it happens, a familiar figure may be found not far away. Ever since the other day's visitor, the Librarian has been in the Bar, working out how best to deal with the unwelcome complication of Cthulhu's presence.

Something in the sound of the Bar's patrons causes it to look up from the text it's skimming over; it lets out a quiet, pleased hum.

San's brother notices the Librarian first, making an odd whuffling noise.

San.

Then she turns, careful to keep on hand on the wolf's hide.

That's the spirit, she mumbles, offering a bow in its direction.

The Librarian dips its head low in greeting. "San," it says. "Well met. Who is this, that I might know him properly?"

"My brother," she replies, allowing the wolf to briefly escape her grasp as he bobs his head.

"Like you, he does not go by any specific name."

The Librarian hums in assent. "I see," it says. "Welcome, then, to Milliways. May it be well for the both of you here."

The wolf nods slightly, still staying a little behind his sister.

"Thank you. It's good to see you again," she starts.

"You have been well?"

"I and my people both," says the Librarian. "Although one of the greater beings of my world came here recently for a time- but I think he's gone home now, back to his place beneath the waves. So there is peace here again, at least for a little while."

"You -- do not get along with the great spirits in your world?"

"With some of them, but not all," the Librarian gently corrects. "Cthulhu is rude, brash, and much too proud. His lesser kin warred with us for many years in the far past. There are others of his kind with whom we have no quarrel, though- Tawat al-Umr, the Blind One, and many others."

She nods slightly. Sort of like the dynamic between the wolves and the boars, then.

"Then, for your sake, I am also glad he is gone. A short leave is better than an extended stay, in this case."

"Thank you," says the Librarian. "How has your warring gone, if I may ask?"

"Nothing's changed," she replies, a little bitterly.

"Nothing significant, anyway."

"My condolences, then," the being replies. "Such things are bitter, and hard to swallow."

"Thank you," she says quietly.

Her brother nudges at her elbow slightly.

"Ah -- I forgot. I promised to get him food, would you like anything?"

"Water will do, or fruit juice," says the Librarian. "Thank you, San."

"It's my pleasure."

Departing briefly, she returns with a glass of apple juice, and a plate piled with what looks to be raw meat.

(She doesn't seem entirely sure what to do with the plate, but sets it down in front of her brother anyhow.)

The Librarian dips its head again in acknowledgment and carefully takes the glass in one clawed hand. One of the trumpet-like organs growing out of its back narrows its opening, then dips into the liquid. "This," says the Librarian, "is how my people drink and feed. If you would rather, I can do it where it would not be seen."

She shakes her head.

"I do not mind," she says, "It is nothing for me to object to."

As it happens, her brother's definitely making more of a mess.

There is a boy in here, who belongs in the spirit world as much as the physical, and nature more than the world of man.

He's regarding them both with interest.

Edited 2008-04-15 04:50 (UTC)

San notices the stare, and looks straight back, expression blank, but a clear sort of defiance in her eyes, as though daring him to say anything.

Her brother, on the other hand, is simply regarding the bar at large with a rather baleful look.

Hao gives her a faint smile, which turns into a querying look, accompanied by a slight nod towards the back door.

She doesn't return the smile, but does so for the nod.

Hopping on her brother's back, she whispers something into his ear and the two of them carefully wind their way through the bar towards the outside area.

Hao strides over, and leads they way out, and out a ways, where it feels quieter. Less orderly.

The demon rabbits notably skirt around him, for a radius of about five-hundred feet.

"Is this better?" he asks.

She nods a little reluctantly, staying with her hands resting on the nape of the wolf's neck.

He's not ordinary.

"What are you?"

Hao finds himself a seat on a convenient rock. There are a lot of convenient rocks out here, he's noticed.

"I'm a shaman," he says.

((ooc: ...sorry it took so long; LJ filed to notify me. D: ))

"A shaman?"

A beat.

"Then you can commune with the spirits," she says, sounding abashed.

"I did not mean to seem disrespectful."

[ ooc; Is okay! I'm currently heading off to sleep, anyhow. ]

"Mmm. It's all right," he says, magnanimously. "Such things aren't always immediately apparent. But neither of you looked comfortable in there."

((ooc: haha, okay. Slowtime then, yes? This has the makings of a thread of epic win.))

"We weren't."

A pause.

"We belong in the forest."

"Mmm. The forest here isn't quite right, but it's better than being indoors."

He pauses for a moment.

"My name is Hao," he offers.

She nods, hopping to the ground.

"I am San," she replies, bowing.

"This is my brother."

Hao gives them a nod.

"Pleased to meet you. Both of you."

He nods behind himself, and--

There is a fiery, horned, vaguely humanoid figure towering behind him. The Spirit of Fire dwarfs the people, dwarfs the trees...

"This is the Spirit of Fire."

The flames are reflected in Hao's eyes, paled to almost white from their previous dark colour.

Edited 2008-04-16 04:03 (UTC)

Both woman and wolf take a few steps back -- instinctively, her hands go to his fur.

A great hate wells up inside of her chest, and she growls.

"Fire," she spits, eyes narrowed, "Fire is what they use -- what they use to DESTROY MY FOREST. To destroy everything around them, stupid, childish humans! They burn everything!"

"Yes," Hao says. "They are stupid, and childish, and foolishly think to appropriate the powers of nature for their own. Forces they have no hope of surviving, much less controlling."

Fire is a part of nature too, after all, and the Spirit is very clearly not burning anything at the moment, merely looking at San with unreadable green eyes.

"Don't hate the fire; only the humans who misuse it."

He has a point, but that doesn't stop her from looking a little upset.

All she can see in her mind's eye is the burning - the explosions, bodies thrown left and right, torn to pieces, charred to ash. The trees falling as the apes make futile attempts to replant the forest.

After a long moment, she relaxes her stance, though she doesn't take her eyes off the spirit.

"Don't worry," Hao says. "He won't hurt you. He's one of the Five Great Spirits of Nature, and also my... companion."

Matt is trying not to stare. He did that yesterday, it didn't work out so well.

Which is why he's suddenly very engrossed in his drink and...nervously knocking it onto the floor a few feet away from the big wolf and the kid.

San whirls around, hand immediately flying to a bone knife at her waist. She quickly lets it drop as she realizes that Matt isn't a threat.

Her brother snaps his jaws contemplatively.

Can I eat him?

She glares at the wolf, turning around.

No, you can't.

Bringing her gaze back to Matt, it becomes clear that, despite her young appearance, she's at least seen enough to make her older.

"Greetings."

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