Completed [TCP] Understanding You. (Ignotus)

[Ricky Maze]

Understanding You 10th Summer, 506 AV The Cerulian Pier bustled with towns folk and busy workers as Ricky and Odis watched everyone that passed by, they only sat in curiosity as they oberved the locals on this humid day. Lucky the wind blew just enough to keep the boy's cool, as they would watch every passing person with an observant eye. Some people wore clothes that were for the occasional hit the town, while others seemed like they didn't give a hoot. There were people short and round and tall, and sometimes even the somewhat tall plump ones and not so short thin ones. Their faces reveal their current occupation, happy when with loved ones, laughing when chatting, firm frowns when focused on tasks. All of them just passing by as Ricky sat there, pettong his dog which ever so panted heavily as he lay next to his master. Occasonally there was a moment when someone he watched for a moment would notice him, making his "observing" cut short as he would look away. Very rarely would he receive a second look though, as the busy bodies no doubt had such important tasks to attend to. He enjoyed having such free time to watch the town, it was amusing to him as he thought the entire world was just acting before him. Like one unanimous play was all at work before him, Ricky took the pleasure in enjoying the little things he would notice. Odis still panted and manage to yawn, laying up on his master with a snuff to follow. The dog was lazy today as was Ricky, so the mood of the city was just the perfect thing to ease their relaxing minds.

[Ignotus Everto]

Today was a boring day. No work, nothing particularly entertaining, and alarmingly complacent weather. It was boredom, then, that motivated Ignotus to step out of the University and out in search of something to do.

Unfortunately, he did not seem to be having much luck in that regard. Absolutely nothing was catching his interest. Indeed, even the dogs seemed bored. Such as one that wouldn't stop panting like a jackass next to some sailor. Gods, Ignotus hated sailors. Perhaps it was because of his agitation that he had forgotten to breathe or blink, and had forgotten entirely to apply any powder to hide the dark bags under his eyes.

Not good for a Nuit trying to disguise his lack of pulse.

[Ricky Maze]

Odis must have caught wind of something, or someone, rather interesting to him. The dog had looked up at the crowd, with perked ears and a stiff tail. Could he detect a threat? "Rrrrr." He warned to Ricky with a snarl, Ricky looked to his companion in astonishment. "Odis boy, what's goin on with ya?" He exclaimed as he looked to the crowd, the dog took off before Ricky could see who Odis was looking at. "Odis!" He called as he stood up to stop the dog, which was now coming near Ignotus. If Igno was to let Odis sniff him then that could settle the dog down, if he tried to scare the dog away then surely Odis would cause a ruckus. Ricky was soon to follow behind though to keep Odis in check. "Odis! Behave!" He ordered to the canine, Odis hesitantly respected him. Guided by the instinctual obediance he has, he sat on his bum starring at Igno. A low growl could be heard rattling in Odis, as the dogs eye's clearly spoke to the man. "Don't you hurt my master." That was what they could say, what he would say if the dog had a voice. "Sorry Sir, he usually isn't like this around other people." He explained apologetically, his humble tone now sincere as he hoped the dog didn't anger or frighten the man. When he had a closer look at Igno with his first glance, the man had dark circles under his eyes. He was also rather pale too. Had this guy been indoor's all his life? 'Great way to make a first impression Odis.' He retorted to himself, looking at the dog in a disappointed manner. "Sorry again sir, but ye don't look to happy right now. Been havin trouble with the sleepin?" He hoped to divert any stressful tension away from the situation, though that wasn't easy with Odis still being in overprotective hound state. The dog wouldn't just stop looking at Igno, and Ricky had no idea what was wrong either. The man looked perfectly safe to Ricky, seeing as how normal doesn't easily revolve around anyone these day's. Yet Ricky did not know what Odis did, because Odis could detect these things better than Ricky, yes Odis knew from the moment he caught Igno's scent; that Igno was in fact a Nuit.

[Ignotus Everto]

Odis' growl nearly shocked Ignotus out of his skin... Albeit a good tick later than a normal human being would be. Nuit and reflexes had a strange relationship. The dog's message was clear enough: It didn't approve of a corpse walking around. And while Ignotus smiled graciously and insisted "It's no worry." he had a special place in his heart for people (and dogs) that made him look like a fool. It was not a good place.

Looking back at the dog with a slight tilt of his head, he pictured in his head something he had only heard of in story: A serpentine body, batlike wings, rows of jagged teeth and powerful, clawed arms. When an image of an attacking Balicani was at the forefront of his mind, the Hypnotist severed it from the rest of his soul and shot it out through his eyes into Odis.

The dog yipped in fright, convinced for a moment that it was about to be devoured by a murderous apex predator of the Cobalt Mountains, and darted behind Ricky with his tail between his legs.

Looking back at the sailor, Ignotus shrugged. "I'm a rather busy man..." Ironically, Ricky was dead right in his assumption. The Nuit wasn't getting much sleep. In fact, Ignotus didn't sleep at all. If Ricky was extremely observant, he might even notice his mottled black tongue. "But no, I have no troubles with sleep."

He was bored... And really, he was positive that Ricky had bullied some other asthmatic kid when he was younger on a whim. Would it really be such a bad thing to give him a taste of his own medicine, now that he was the stronger party by far? Certainly not. Odis was right to be wary... "Pardon me sir, I know we've just barely met and all, but do you think you could assist me with something? I've been trying to move into a new apartment, see, and I've just been having the hardest time moving some furniture... You're a big, strong man. Do you think you can help me carry a couch and a desk? You'll be compensated for your trouble, of course."

To ensure he said yes, the wizard plunged into his building blocks again and isolated a phrase this time. With a quick cut, he transferred the portion of his Djed to his throat, and expelled it along with his request. "I do owe him..." Ricky would find himself thinking. After all, Odis did give the man a fright.

[Ricky Maze]

Odis retreated behind Ricky in a cowardly manner that Ricky never thought he woupd see, his posture being a one of fear as his tail was curled between his legs. He made the connection between the distinctive look the man gave to Odis before the dog seem terrorized, had this man found a way to strike fear into other animals? Did he have some sort of wicked sense that only Odis could detect? The questions that popped into his head were ones that brought chills, as this guy was apparently not your ordinary fellow. He was asked that he would help move soke furniture, and though Ricky felt that a gentle no would have been better off he felt more obligated really, after all Odis did give the man a good scare and Ricky wanted to make up for it. As he opened his mouth to humbly agree though a different thought soon filled his head, and the words he spoke were not entirely his own. "Of course I'll help, after all I owe ya." His expression turned from a humble grin to an absolute lost expression. Confused about how and why he was so easily agreeing to something without a second thought. "Hhmmhh?!" Odis whined as he looked up to his master, confused as well as to what just happened to him. This was indeed an unusual experience for the two, as Ricky had suddenly got goosebumps. Ricky now felt sure that he was going to help the man move, he went back to his humble grin. The friendly smile that appeared was the one he always wore when making an introduction. "Ricky, Ricky Maze. I'll help however I can." Odis licked his muzzle as he glanced between his master and the stranger, a whine of discomfort came out as he somehow knew the trouble Ricky was in. He couldn't really do anything though, not while they were here in public anyway. No the best thing Odis could do was watch this man attentively, and find some way to lift his enthrallment Ricky was trapped in.

[Ignotus Everto]

Ignotus' brow furrowed slightly when he saw the look on Ricky's face. Evidently, despite his looks, he was a sharp one. That or he was so stupid he didn't think in sentences. It wouldn't be too difficult to fix his suspicion, however... "Ricky Maze? An agreeable enough name." the Nuit said with an amicable air before beckoning him to follow. Leading him somewhere relatively secluded was simple enough. A couple glances back coupled with a few bursts of Djed (hopefully) ensured he didn't become too paranoid, and a knowledge of the city allowed him to pick out a place that would be properly empty.

Of course, the observational might note that the number of people was starting to cut off, and that Ignotus' apartment seemed to be in a shabbier part of town... And then they might worry. If Ricky allowed him, the wizard would lead him to a rather old house that just might have been abandoned, and motioned for him to come in.

[Ricky Maze]

Of all the times Ricky would find himself in a situation now would normally be a time for him to be calm and think, he may have had the free will to change his mind or decline but his nature was now too stubborn to turn back now. His mind was set on helping this man now as he felt more than inclined to do so, it was one of those things where he felt obligated really. In a sense to make up for Odis' manners of course really, had the dog learned to treat a stranger better than they would not have gotten in this mess. Yet the dog seemed remorseful now, or he did to Ricky at least. In truth the dog was worried about this man, concerned about what he was going to do to Ricky. There was a great hesitance in the dog as he would sometimes attempt to steer Ricky away, but Ricky was to bull headed to realize Odis' behavior. He wanted to follow Ignotus now and help this man, when he would nudge Odis to keep going forward with his shin he would only look to the dog curiously. Unaware that the crowd seem to lessen now of course, as the dog was driving him crazy with these odd attempts. It was indeed odd behavior Odis was pulling, yet with a whine at his failing attempts he gave up. Watching Ignotus closely to figure out the man's secret trick. What mad scheme was he planning? How was he pulling this off? All of this Odis only could count on bringing to Ricky's attention, which only have to be at the right moment. They were coming upon some old house now, one that seemed rather old and, well for the lack of a better word, dead. Did this man truthfully live here? It wasn't something Ricky felt sure of, and as Odis now began to look at his master with great concern Rickh knew Odis would be beggin him to turn back now. If the dog could speak words it would be exactly to turn away and run, yet Ricky wasn't able to read this message clearly and only took it as a sign that Odis was frightened of Ignotus. "It's aight boy, where just here to help em is all." He reassured humbly to the dog with a gentle pat, thougb his skin started to crawl as Ignotus invited him in. He would accept the invite with a loose grin, and allow Odis to enter first as the dog felt more encouraged to do so. "Not a bad place really." He would comment as he entered, yet he now had the sinking feeling of reality slipping in. If this were a place where Igno was living there would be better....furnishings than what was in. No this place had been abandoned it seemed, and now these two were left alone with Igno.

[Ignotus Everto]

The slammed shut behind the trio, enveloping the house in inky darkness. "Tell me, Ricky Maze..." a cold, jeering voice asked from somewhere around the door. "Have you ever beaten down a boy because you thought him weak?"

It would be difficult to see, but Ignotus' eyes were burning with something quite unlike what most others had faced; Hatred. "Have you ever bruised and bloodied and bullied another? Hm?"

If Ricky answered yes, he'd notice faintly glowing droplets of azure gel seeping out of Ignotus' pores, then floating up and coalescing into a ball above the Nuit's hand. A ball that would burst into flame.

[Ricky Maze]

With the room now too dark for Ricky to see he stood alert for the unexpected, unaware that Igno was now looking at him with dark intentions. "Tell me Ricky Maze...." His voice was now a dark and sinister one that brought the bonechilling creeps to Ricky's limbs, "Have you ever bruised and bloodied and bullied another? Hm?" He was astonished to hear such a thing be asked, as he had now lost himself in the situation before him. He was now lost in the emotions that churned in him, a wicked storm of tension in his heart as he tried to grasp for his answer. He had never done what Igno had implied but he wasn't sure if Igno was about to pull the same stunt, in a confused rage he snapped at Igno with a defensive tone. "What hell gives ye that kind of idea?! My pa raised me to be the better man then most men, so if yer plannin to get the jump on me I say; Watch yerself cause I will go down swingin!" He swore to the man now as he backed away a bit, tensing up as he would prepare for anything unexpected. Odis whined to his master as in an attempt to say "I told you so", but then followed with a low growl in a warning attempt to Igno. The dog couldn't see the man but his sight was better than Ricky's right now, but he mostly relied on his more potent sense to keep track of Igno's location. His nose telling him thag the man has not moved at all, he stood low and began to snarl at Igno. Trying to intimidate the man should he attempt anything against them.

[Ignotus Everto]

"Quiet." Ignotus' voice snapped at Odis, and the poor canine got another eyeful of the Balicani. "It is simply in my experience that you people have no respect for anyone who can't put you in your place. However, you don't seem that kind of person, so..."

The door swung open. Half of Ignotus could be seen silhouetted in the radiant white doorway. "Go ahead. Get out of my sight. And thank your father for me. It's about time someone put some manners into you people."

And with that, the Nuit walked out, framed for a tick in the doorway before vanishing from view.