Just Another Day (Open)

[Alabaster Reymon]

Alabaster watched him closely, like he was the only important thing right now. Looking him over and his unique features, he just couldn’t get over the man’s eyes and a spark lit in his eyes when Vos thought it best to answer his question. A race of shapeshifters, uh? Now –that- was interesting. “Shapeshifters?” He asked as if not fully comprehending what he was being told, “So Kelvics can shapeshift?” He asked slowly absorbing the information given to him. It was kind of exciting to meet a Kelvic, “Well,” Naturally this would be the next question, “What can you shapeshift into? Anything?” He asked, the curiosity and excitement building in his voice.

He smiled politely back up at him, waiting for an answer unsure why he didn’t want to rent an apartment. He wasn’t an idiot and could tell when someone wanted to just be left alone. He knew that Vos wanted to leave and just be though with him. It was something easy to pick up on, when one doesn’t want to be talked to. They give out a sort of vibe, and he was getting the full message. Although outweighing that was his curiosity for the person and the longing for answers. That, the search for answers, was far more important than anyone being comfortable, and that was how he really felt.

Those eyes of Alabasters looked up into the Kelvics mentally prodding for answers or any sort. He wanted to read him, something he wasn’t very good at, or at least wouldn’t admit to. Body language says a lot about a person, how confident they are, what kind of personality they have, and just how open to conversation they were. All of this could be told, to a skilled person, with a blink of an eye. A blink and countless unconscious messages about the person can be obtained.

[Vos]

Vos nodded and said dryly,
"Yeah we can shapeshift. Just two forms though, an animal and humanoid form. As an animal we are indistinguishable from the real thing, but like this, well as you can see I cant quite pass for human."
He ran a hand over his hair, and added,
"My animal form is a fox."

Vos paused for a moment, he considered Alabaster. He seemed nice so far, and at least was polite about getting answers out of Vos unlike others he had known. That by no means meant he was trustworthy. Vos watched him quietly, Alabaster certanly looked harmless, not physicaly imposing anyway. He also seemed to have had no idea what a Kelvic was, that seemed to rule out the posibility he was a slaver or anything similar. Vos didnt want to trust him, but it seemed like all Alabaster added up too was a curious human. He breathed a small sigh a releif, glad partialy, but still wairy.

"Transformation is useful and all, and id be lost without it, but its not always good. Kelvics are valued as slaves."
He scowled again fangs poking out slightly
"Inhuman senses and strenth, human inteligence."
He trailed off still watching Alabaster, before finaly saying,
"I dont know much about my species but I know that story well enough."

[Alabaster Reymon]

The kid nodded and grinned at the fox Kevlic, “Well no wonder you’re free” He said jokingly looking at him. He wasn’t impressive much, just a fox. I mean, there has to plenty of other useful Kelvics out there such as horses or some of great beasts. Some that can actually fight. This one, this kelvic, didn’t look all that impressive, but neither did he. “So, if they are valued as slaves…” He went off speaking his thoughts out loud, “Why are you here alone? Running from your master?’ He said almost teasingly. “No wonder you want to move along so quickly and ran from me when you saw me; though I was some big, bad slaver coming to make a profit out of you.” He laughed taking this all a little too lightly. Though, he wondered if transformation hurt.

“But if you haven’t a place to stay you can easily find one at here.” He nodded, “A lot of people come and go here. Like a river. You should fit in with all the misfits, including me, around here. That is fi you want to stay. I say, why not? You have no place to go. I dare ask, where are you planning on going? Do you have a plan. If not,” He smiled, “Stay here till you can figure something out. I think you will like the place.” He really liked promoting his about three year home to complete strangers. It was fair enough. He was hoping to make the fox think before he acted. If he truly had human intelligence like he claimed, he should consider things carefully and not be such a drifter, “And if you have and traveling plans…” He sort of hinted, “Ive been wanting to get out of this place for a while now.”

This was really quite an illusive effort to get out of the city, and he asked most travelers the same thing. More or less direct, that is. He can be ‘subtle’ if he wanted to be, and even when he thought he was being, he wasn’t. It just wasn’t in his nature. That was quite frustrating sometimes. Although he wanted to leave the city he had to be realistic. How long would he survive traveling the world without anyone to guid and protect him? How long can he survive on the meager sums that he had? But then again what’s money in the wilderness?

[Vos]

Unsuprisingly, Vos took Alabaster's comments poorly. His scowl returned with new force and he replied coldly.
"I wasnt free. I got lucky."
Vos could read the mans expresion, he knew that face, the one that branded the recipiant, useless. Alabaster was wrong, by a long shot, he may not hav been a fighter, or a pack animal, but Vos was smart. He had been a slave sure, but one to be trained as a tactition and scout. Despite the early, and fortunate end to his training he was still far from useless.

Another toothy frown grew as Alabaster continued.
"Id like to see you laugh off slavery when its your turn."
Alabaster may be harmless, but he certanly was not impressing Vos with his social skills. He tried to shove the though aside before he let himsekf do anyhting regretable.
"Kelvic slaves dont get much choice in life. We dont react the same way humans do."

He exhaled slowly letting his anger float out, at least partialy.
"No, im not interested in staying here, not long anyway. I dont know where i'll go but its not here. I dont care what you do, but im not staying ."
Vos knew he was never going to realy belong in the city, not in this one. Everything seemed so strict and controled, maybe he might be better off on the fringe of society.

[Alabaster Reymon]

All he could do was watch his reaction. Oh, he struck a nerve there, “Laugh it off?” He said, “Ill laugh it off all I want,” He grinned, “Because Ill never,” and that ‘never’ had a sort of purpose to it if any of his words did, “be a slave.” He said his over confidence showing. He watched him. His reaction wasn’t the best he had ever gotten, but that was, perhaps, his fault. He shouldn’t have said some of the things that came out. Well, more experience for next time. Trial and error, that’s all this conversation was. Testing limits, boundaries, seeing what he can and cannot get away with. Risky sure, but oh so worth the heavy price, and unlike most expensive things this was worth it, anything to get better at dealing with others of the Kelvics kind.

“You say you don’t have much choice in life, but as I see it.” He paused for a second thinking trying to shake off the shiver that the fox sent down him with all of his cold looks and angered attitude, “Kelvics have as much choice in life as we humans do, but seeing as their perspective of the world is different they are not open and cannot see the choices and paths that are so obviously before them.” He nodded liking the sound of that argument, if one were to call it that. He again observed the fox for any negative reaction. He seemed to be getting a lot of that lately, but curiosity drove him forward. “So, you have no idea where you would like to go?”

That right there was the Kelvics problem. He had no direction. He needed some time to think things through before doing them, and a room is cheap enough for a week or even a couple of days. Although it was rejected earlier he wondered if the fox might not reconsider. “You know, my father always said if you wander to find direction you will most likely miss it because you’re looking in the wrong spot. Or something like that” He laughed a little. His father always said things better than he did. That was a fact, and well known for anyone who did know them. “Anyways…” He looked around in an attempt to quickly dispel the misremembered quote from the Kelvics mind, “Was there anything in particular you were looking for when you came here? I can help… That is if you don’t mind.”

[Vos]

Vos laughed quietly, but there was no humor in it.
"At least one of us wont have to deal with it then."
Alabaster seemed smart enough, but they way he spoke it was as if he was ignorant to the world. Vos found himself wishing the man ill, but stopped himself, No one should have to face slavery. Alabaster didnt seem to be a bad man afterall, a bit insensitive but tolerable.

"I dont have any choice in life, slaves dont."
Vos caught himself and scowled again shaking his head, one hand running through his messy hair. It was hard to adjust to being for the first time.
"I didnt anyway. But im free now."
He said it slowly, as if unsure and still enjoyhing the simple freedom of the word, and its reality. He pause listening to Alabasters theory and replied.
"Your not a Kelvic, you dont see the way we do, you arent treated the way I was. You cant know, be happy for that."
He said it calmly and dryly, Vos would deal with his problems and Alabaster would deal with his own.

"I dont know where I want to go. I dont know where there is to go realy."
He laughed bitterly at the irony of a scout with almost no aplicable knowledge of the land.
"I came here because it was the first town I came upon. I had heard of it and it was simple enough to find. The only thing I was looking for was freedom."
He paused for a moment considering the mans offer. It was never smart to trust a stranger, but then again evceryone was a stranger now and he had to start somewhere.
"We both wanted out of here. Lets work together then."
It was a reluctant offer, but he had no other options.

[Alabaster Reymon]

Alabaster understood and knew fully well that he cannot see the world though, say a Kelvics, eyes unless he has walked a mile in their shoes. He was a human, and so, he didn’t have that ability. Though he did have the power of imagination and he could, say, imagine what it would be like, but it would be a heck of a lot different in reality no doubt. So he couldn’t level with the fox, but that was ok. Learning from experience that is what most things do, and what he does especially well. Maybe it was a blessing that he doesn’t see the world in such a light as Vos. Yeah. He nodded to himself, it was better this way, and so he was going to take his advice and be happy for it.

He continued to listen to the Kelvic talk, trying to show just a little bit of respect. “So this is the first town you came to, uh?” He grinned, “Well lucky you that you didn’t stumble unto Sunberth. I’ve heard nasty things about that place” Of course, the only accounts he has heard regarding travel in general is from his father, his father’s journal, and the tid bits he gets eavesdropping. He was about to say something else but then he was silenced by the offer made by the fox, “Wait. You want to work together with me? Like…” He smiled, “A partnership?” He laughed a little, “I do want to get out of this place, and Ive heard good things about Zeltiva to the east of here, but Im not sure if Im the traveling material.” He admitted, “I used to travel with my father, but haven’t left this city in years.” Old fears were creeping up again, “You sure you can trust me?” A devilish grin would spread across his face, almost laughingly. This was too good to be true, but he needed some time to think about it.

[Vos]

Vos watched Alabasters expresion. The look of understanding that shone after a minute was the look he had hoped for. There was no point in arguing the realities of the world. Slavery was simply not somthing Alabaster had nealy as much to worry about as Kelvics did.

He paused and let the human consider the offer.
"Yeah, Why not. I need someone to make myself less apealing to slavers, and you can probably use a hunter if you have not left the city in that long."
He had not mentioned the slavers before but he felt confidant in his evasion skills. Vos didnt realy trust this man, aside form the slight confidance he had earned in the last few minutes, but he realy did have no other options, and this was far safer and more preferable than going alone.
"Yeah, lets work together."

[Templar]

Alabaster: Observation: 3 – Interogation: 1 – Rhetorics: 2 Lore Award: Noticing Newcomers. – Kelvics (Basic) Vos: Intimidation: 2 – Observation: 2 Lore Award: Fight or Flight – Sunberth, a nasty place. Additional notes: Excellent thread. Well played characters!