Completed A Mischief of Rats (Fubuki Kouri)

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Twentieth of Summer, 513 AV The Bazaar was busy this time of the year. Summer was in full swing and Ninus was dressed cleanly and fed well. Of course, it was only the twentieth day of Summer but already the castle was the coolest place to be. Ninus' rats had fled here to get away from the heat already consuming the lower portions of the city, and Ninus had elected to do the same. He'd buried his belongings, watered the precious plants he kept shaded and protected from the sun, and came to the Bazaar. Of course, with all the people around the coolest place was undoubtably the floor. He sat against a wall, knees pulled up against his shallow chest, a cracked plate at his feed. Passersby threw silver or copper mizas in, obviously thinking him a beggar. But a client who knew him would know to do otherwise. Ninus occasionally took the coins to get a sausage roll or cup of iced wine, happy at the heightened state of the food in the castle. The rats were content to do some scavenging of their own. They told him about their conquests in the market. A piece of bread, a bit of meat, a sweet here and there. The rats were doing well, and only a few of their numbers had been kicked or stabbed. Of course their cousins who lived in the castle proper were large grey rats, fat and sleek who spent all day below the kitchens grooming themselves and gorging on crumbs of mutton, cheese and bread. Ninus watched as a man threw something a little more weighty into the bowl. The nutmeg clanked loudly against the ceramic and caught his attention. One poison for another. He reached out and closed his hand around the hard, small little nut, pulling it into the safety of a pocket and rising to his feet. He walked around a corner, his client following, and made a quiet deal behind a pillar. A single dose of nightshade. A classic poison, and Ninus considered praising him for it, but not at all practical. Stomach pain, delirium, copious vomiting, paralysis...these were all things that were very easily seen and obvious to a healer. But he took the man's mizas, a modest sum of 2 GM for the plant, and settled back down in his 'beggar's' position to look at the nutmeg. A lethal dose, and a fine specimen. He smiled and settled back, looking for another client to come his way. The trip was already proving worth the trouble.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri Another typical lovely sunless day in the Fortress City. Kouri took the day off from her job at The Flower Stand today and went about taking a stroll in the Great Bazaar, she also didn't bring Rena with her as her little ghostly sister was in the mood for playing with the elaborate dollhouse that Kouri bought for her at the 10th of Summer. The dollhouse was supposed to be a dwelling for Pycons so it costed a lot and tore a figurative hole in Kouri's wealth. Kouri had done more than enough work to warrant her a vacation from the Flower Stand so she figured out perhaps she could search for an odd job or two, extra mizas never hurt; but finding an employer when you're a phantom little girl with a bloodstained dress was not easy. She kept strolling around for about five chimes, phasing through people and objects, when she noticed a peculiar beggar. His dark hair, pale skin tone, and handsome face contrasted greatly with his apparent 'occupation', if you could call begging an occupation. Kouri didn't know why, but she approached the beggar and crouched down before him, her crimson eyes examining the man and the bowl in front of him. "You know... you seem to know have connections or something? I need some extra mizas and yes yes, I'm a ghost, a phantom, abomination, bla bla bla I know..." Kouri didn't wait for the man's reply and trailed off on her own. Oh look at me! Talking to a beggar about finding a job! How smart of you, little princess~ Her insane side decided to show up and quipped. "*Sigh*... I'm sorry..." Kouri heaved a sigh and was about to stand up, she apparently was wasting her time talking to this beggar and she was not in a charitable mood today she didn't give the 'poor beggar' any coins.

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats "No connections." Ninus said dismissively to the ghost, glancing up at her. "I have nothing." He was lying through his teeth; if she had seen the nutmeg, she would know it was some sort of code to get his attention. Passersby he was not interested in. Men and women with a grudge...that was what he serviced. He caught the eye of a man walking by and wasn't surprised to see a small black nugget of something drop in the bowl. He seized it quickly, folding his scarred digits over it and yanking it out of sight. The knights missed very little, he had to be swift. He swallowed down fury at the audacity this person had, to throw something into the bowl while a curious undead was wandering about asking him questions about connections. He tucked the tiny package into his clothing, a curious thumb pressing down on it. A fungus, wrapped in some sort of leaf. By the way it gave, a slime mold. Molds and fungus pleased Ninus; they were easy to cultivate and adapt. The colony simply had to be transferred and given a little nudge, and he would have twice what the person gave him. Now, it would remain to be seen whether it was a species he could use until after it spawned. He set his teeth and stood up at the same time the girl did, hoping he could simply shake her. With a look of barely veiled fury he gave the man a slight shake of his head, his eyes flicking to the girl. Asking for poisons in front of someone had been a mistake...the man would not be getting anything out of him.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "No connections" The sudden answer Kouri was not expecting stopped her form for a few ticks, it was very obvious of course. Why would a beggar have any connections at all? Kouri bet he even struggled just to eat and keep himself alive. Oh, at least he answered Kouri was about to leave when a random civilian dropped something to the bowl, her crimson eyes get a good second before the beggar suddenly snatched the thing. The black shape and size of the thing assured Kouri it was not a miza. The man didn't even notice her and just went on his way. "........." That suspicious event brought Kouri's attention back to the 'beggar'. It was even more reinforced when he stood up at the same time she did. This man was tall, really tall, compared to herself. Kouri was a Vantha so she was quite short compared to other human sub-races and added the fact she died when she had still much room to grow, this man literally towered over her. She tilted up her head to see the man shaking his head at a direction, she looked at the particular direction and found the previous man looking back. What in the name of Queen Morwen is going on here? Kouri just found herself an intriguing plot, her child-like curiosity couldn't be hold back now. "Alright, Sir... what's that thing he gave you?" Kouri approached closer and stealthily extended a tendril into the part of clothing where the man hid the 'thing', "Let me see..." the tendril the groped around and it found something, Kouri wasn't sure what it was but she quickly snatched the thing and brought whatever object it was to her face. She saw a black nugget of sorts, she didn't know what it is, but it sure wasn't mizas. "What's this, Sir? And why is that man giving you that?" She asked in a somewhat interrogating tone, her eyes then narrowed in suspicion as her tilted head examined the man's shapely face closer "You're not really a beggar, are you?"

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats The prospective customer gave Ninus a dark look indeed, but the poisoner was focused on the colony the ghost now held in her palm. Such a small fragile packet of life that needed a calm, gentle hand. He grit his teeth, looking down his long lashes at her. "That which you hold in your hand is a thousand lives. A thousand lives born and thriving in darkness. They require cultivation and a gentle hand, pray you do not crush them or expose them to the burning orb above they hate." he told her coldly. "In time they will grow and serve me and mine." He held out his hand for the packet. "I do not beg for my life. I beg to throw the guards off their miserable routine." he growled sharply. "I pray, do not make a scene as to call them. While my friends and subjects live merrily in the prisons, I would die there in the darkness." He hoped she would not be loud, and wave her prize about. The mold was extraordinarily toxic, or would be when it had grown. Ninus drew in close to her, leaning down and resting his aquiline nose against her cheek. "If you wish to come to the court of the prince of rats, one only has to ask." he told her quietly.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "Wha?" Kouri tilted her head in confusion, this poo-like thing held thousands of lives? That thrived in darkness to boot? Oh Morwen, this man was a loony. He spoke as if he was their overlord or something, that this poo would grow into his champion of darkness doing dark deeds for their dark master. "Eeeeh?" Kouri cocked her right eyebrow and her lips formed a half-frown at the right half of her face. With her gesture, Kouri was basically saying 'are you nuts?'. He then held out his hand and basically asked her to give the black-poo thing back in a manner of speaking that would make a poetry writer proud. His tone was sharp and demanding, he truly wanted this thing! Kouri couldn't believe it, but it seemed he would go insane if she ran away with the thing and again with the darkness, Kouri bet this man's name is Sir Black Obsidianson or something... He's handsome, but his mind was a wreck and Kouri was a rather insane ghost; that was saying something. !? Kouri flinched in surprise when the tall man leaned in to her level and the tip of his nose slightly phased through her unmaterialized cheek. "Okay! You want it back? Here!" Kouri swiftly put the poo-thing in his palm which he quickly accepted and hid back in his clothing, she was getting creeped out, she may be a ghost but she was also a little girl; Kouri started to assume this man was a sexual predator that preyed on little girls. She was about to leave when... "If you wish to come to the court of the prince of rats, one only has to ask" "Wha-?" His words stopped her, he's a prince?! That ancient title meant 'Son of the King'? Kouri was intrigued, but the 'of Rats' part reinforced her views about this crazy man. "Fu... ufufufufu..." Kouri failed to stifle her giggles, but she decided to humor him; where would this 'Prince of Rats' take her, she wondered. "Alright, Your Majesty..." Kouri lifted the hem of her dress and bowed, politely curtsying to the Prince "Lady Kouri asks your hand in taking her to your court" As insane and absurd as he looked, Kouri couldn't help but think those sharp and unflinching eyes of the Prince as if he was really serious about all this. OOC : Because there are no kingdoms left in Mizahar, the title of King, Queen, Prince, Princess, etc exists as titles that once belonged to royalty of the ancient kingdoms (Alahea and Suvan) before the Valterrian

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Ninus took the packet back gently. He would need to get it home, and soon. "Come." he nodded his head toward the street. He had done enough business here today, and he had eaten well. He picked up the ceramic bowl, tipping the few coppers into his hand. He led her away from the Bazaar, toward the Traveler's quarter of the city. As they passed by the rest of the bazaar a few of the aforementioned rats fell behind them, scurrying along the edges of buildings. It was nothing more than a trickle, something that could be labeled incidental. But as they approached the apartments Ninus rented, it was clear it was no mistake. The rats were numerous around one part of the building, scuttling in and out of one specific window aimed toward an alleyway. Ninus began to ascend the stairs, he was on the second floor. He looked back at his ghostly companion, making sure she was following before he approached his door, unlocked it, and opened it to let her in. The apartment was small and mostly bare. The bed had been taken over by a host of black and grey rats, sleeping soundly on the covers. His pillow was dominated by one in particular, a rat who looked as though she could outweigh a small dog. She lifted her head as Ninus entered and clambered over her sleeping fellows. She leapt off the bed as gracefully as a hunter and bounded toward him. She clutched his pant leg in greeting and Ninus laid his hand on her head. He smiled and she let him go. "Chicet, my good friend and lady." Ninus greeted her happily. He approached a pot that was growing something rather terrifying on the wall. A slime mold had spilled over the pot and was creeping its way up the plaster, orange and wet. Ninus fished out the black packet and opened it. As he suspected, a good species but one he already had a thriving colony of. He scraped off the orange goo into the pot; it would take a little bit for the mold to recognize one of its own, but the gift had been a good one. The second thing he fished out of his pocket was the nutmeg. The fragrant and spicy nut he settled on a small end table that also held a small wooden box. This was his poison kit, where he kept a stash of easily transportable poisons. Some of the rats awakened and wandered toward the ghost, lifting themselves up on their haunches and smelling her. Chicet was a persistent culprit, and reached out to try and touch the little girl's clothing. The rats were utterly fascinated by something that seemed there but wasn't.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "Ehehe~" Kouri giggled and followed the self-proclaimed Prince away from the Great Bazaar. Along the way, she noticed some rats were indeed seemed to be following them Is he truly their leader? Maybe he's a rat Kelvic... The thought crossed her mind, in her mind it was logical after all, a kelvic commanding a pack of rats... or was it? She decided to postpone her question for now. Along the way, Kouri had some predictions on where they were going; was it some narrow alleyway? Was it at some hidden location just outside the city walls? Or was it... it can't be... The Traveler's Row. No, it just couldn't be yet here she was, standing before the very location where she rented a double room for Rena and herself. She could go home first to apartment number one-one-two and introduced Rena to this mysterious man, but she figured it would not be a good idea unless she knew more about this man. He was their neighbor after all. Kouri kept silent and followed the Prince further, she was heading away from the apartment where Rena and her rented. So... we're not exactly near, phew... She felt relieved, it was rather impolite for her to think that way but she didn't want any suspicious person to live near Rena and the walking tall man in front of her fit the bill perfectly. As they got nearer to Ninus' home, Kouri's face was getting more and more worried with each step. Rats were growing in numbers and they didn't stop growing and seemed to be spawning from nowhere. "H-hi?!" She instinctively floated upwards more by a few inches when a rat phased through her feet, Kouri knew she was safe from these dirty animals but the disgust was still there. The only thing keeping her from blinking away was the fact that the rats couldn't touch her and this man lived so close to Rena. Finally they arrived in front of a door, the Prince unlocked the door and gestured for her to come in. He was polite, crazy but polite. Kouri nodded and excused herself, she didn't really need for him to actually open the door as she could just phase through it but she figured he did it out of courtesy and he needed the door open for himself to enter. Once inside, Kouri's crimson eyes adjusted to the dark lighting and... "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" She screamed a high-pitched scream, the apartment was literally a hellhole. Those scurrying disgusting black rodents were everywhere. On the bed, on the floor, on the walls, Everywhere!. Kouri eyes went wide in shock and she fell down on her butt "N-no!!! No!! Get away from me! You're insane! Aaaaaagh!" her mind was wrecking so she didn't realize she was a ghost, not a human little girl, and could just blink away. Kouri didn't notice about the ghastly plants and molds that were growing in the apartment, these pests were her top concern. Her panicked mind didn't let her think clearly about this, the thought that these rodents were this man's beloved subjects didn't cross her mind. She closed her eyes and shook her head from side to side, her ethereal white hair swaying left and right following her movement. She screamed "No no no no!" over and over again like a high-pitched broken record. When she opened her eyes, she found a giant rat was trying to sniff her dress "HYAAAAAAAH?!" Kouri shifted to a standing position and blinked away, appearing on the ceiling corner far away from that oversized rodent. "Y-you! You!" Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits and glowed, they locked themselves to the culprit, the Prince, who was rummaging around a small wooden box. She quickly extended two tendrils and they grabbed the man's collar, she then pulled the man with a force of twenty pounds of weight; forcing him to be dragged to her. Once their face were just a few inches apart, she growled at him, her anger fueled by her fear. "What... what are you?!"

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Ninus looked rather unamused by the question, dangling in midair above the floor. He saw Cricet out of the corner of his eye fluff up her fur and bare her fangs. The large rat seemed intent upon protecting him. He turned his attention back to the furious ghost at hand. How she had screamed and shrieked at the rats! As if it was their fault. He looked back in the face of her anger coldly, his jaw set. He was aware a drop from this height near the ceiling would hurt. "You asked to follow the prince of rats to his court, why then are you surprised at the inhabitants?" Ninus asked. "Does such gentility, such curiosity frighten one such as yourself? One cannot bite air, nor bleed it, nor infect it. You spread fear where your presence is only met with curiosity and wonder. My servants do not deserve your scorn." He growled. The large rat paced below him, hissing and squeaking her indignity. Her teeth were bared, and she slapped her large hairless tail on the ground. She was making low, chittering noises, back arched and claws clenching the floor. It was a clear sign of anger and displeasure. Ninus nodded his head down to her. "You're angering her." he said calmly. "Different men lead different lives, not to be judged by the spirits of the dead or living. Nay, I refuse to be judged by you, in my own court and castle with eyes watching you. It is you who they mock for screaming your fear."

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "Gah!" Kouri couldn't lift him up for just a few seconds for she immediately felt the painful strain of overworking her tendrils and hastily dropped the Prince on the floor, she wasn't strong enough to lift an adult man it seemed. "Ouch... gah... it hurts..." She groaned in pain and basically rolling herself on the ceiling, acting as if it was the floor. "Uuuuh..." She hugged her own chest with a wincing expression full of agony on her face, trying to lift him was a bad move on her part. She noticed that giant rat were looking at her as if she was an intruder, Kouri wanted to break the rodent's neck like a twig but it would most likely drive this... Rat Prince insane and it was also disgusting to touch that creature. The Prince's words struck her. Kouri shifted her position so she was now standing upside-down on the ceiling like a resting bat. "....." Kouri went silent, if one could look past his apparent madness and disgusting preference for... pets; one could really see he did care for these rodents and these rats were never trying to harm her, they were just curious. "I... I'm sorry..." Kouri bowed apologetically, but it looked awkward due to her inverted manner of standing. "I... I understand, you really do love them, aren't they?" If one can love dogs, cats, or horses; what's stopping rats from receiving the same treatment? They were still animals after all. "So... Prince, what can I do to redeem myself?" The man acted like royalty, Kouri supposed she must act like one as well; not that she disliked it, she very much loved being with peers who knew noble etiquette and decorum. Her strict upbringing was the primary factor.