In the strangest of places
#1
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304
Dated the 22nd
for Null Big Grin gonna be vague and light, because my fingers are freeezing

Isabella had slung a cloak over her shoulders and pulled it up over her hair. It was tied up in a bun and strands still fell out of the gap for her head. Her muzzle poked out but it kept her ears and eyes covered from the rain. The tarp over the reading room had been extended over the entrance to the den and the separation between the two and the main, open room. Water was puddling in the upright pots, the few of them that there were. She was hoping to get an easy source of fresh water from the rain, and the way it was going, she'd probably have an inch of it for a floor instead. Kaoru was huddled in the reading room, all the expensive pillows and candles moved into the den Isabella slept in nightly. The white slave was covered by a blanket and holding an old linen rag that had been soaked in rain water to a large gash on his thigh.


She peered back at her slave who was shaking from the shock of it. "I'll be back soon, keep the pressure on." He nodded grimly, hand on the large gash. Isabella slipped into the dark world, the rain pouring and the wind blowing fiercely against her. She pushed against the rain, teeth bared and clenched together in focus. Wind loud and roaring, Isabella howled into the wind; it would guarantee some sound would carry and she was looking for someone nearby in the ruins, not at the stables or with the slaves. It was a shock that Kaoru himself could hardly fix his own leg, but there it was. She howled loud, her coyote cry almost like a dog's. "Oh, someone..," she said softly under her breath, knowing the noise drowned it out.

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#2
Null was caught in the storm and it was getting bad, worse than any storm she had experienced before. She was struggling against the wind to find some form of shelter, and she was almost soaked through despite the long grey cloak wrapped around her. The hood wouldn't stay up, repeatedly caught by the wind, and her mane was whipped wildly about her face. She almost slipped and fell repeatedly, and her paws were slick with mud. She tried to hold the cloak closed from within, but it was difficult since the garment only had a single clasp at the throat. It almost tore away completely several times.

She had made her way to the ruins when the storm had become truly worrisome, hoping to find cover more substantial than a hollow below a tree or other such makeshift den. It appeared that all other members of her new pack had already bunkered down-- she hadn't seen a soul since making her way here, and could only assume that they all were hidden away safely in their homes. Null was about to bang on someone's door a request sanctuary from the storm when she caught the howl; someone else was out in the storm, someone else needed aid. She howled back, indicating that she had heard the call for help, and began to fight her way through the storm towards the source of the noise.

Eventually, a cloak-wrapped figured came into view, only their pale muzzle visible below their own hood. Null hurried to them as best she could through the rain and the wind and the mud, wondering if they were hurt or stranded without a shelter of their own, like her.

Are you alright? She shouted over the roar of the storm, still struggling not to be blown over. The person didn't appear injured, but by the facts that their body was hidden by the cloak and the rain dampened all possible scents of blood, Null really had no idea. Are you hurt?
#3
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i hope you don't mind my pp getting her to the ruins c:

Isabella's delicate white hand clung to the neck of her cloak, keeping its clasp secured even in the wind. The wind blew the cloak around her, billowing it out. She turned to face the wind, eyes watering from the force, mixing with the rain washing down her face. The cloak exposed her legs as it pulled back, snagging on the light curl of her tail. She inhaled and coughed, the water running off the tip of her nose and into her nostrils. Twirling about, she heard a call and blinked away the liquid making her sight blur with every blink.


A woman, she figured, called to her, most of her words lost to the wind. She twitched her ears, and caught her last few words. With a violent shake of her head, she reached the other woman. Delicate, white hands shot out and gripped the unknown figure by the upper arm and began to tug. "I need help," she screamed, hoping to be heard properly. It was undignified of her, but she could hardly care now. The weather was frustrating for her and she was sick of it already. Isabella did not hear any protests, or wouldn't hear them, her stormy eyes almost grey in the lack of light and damn determined.


It took a good deal of pulling as the two came into her ruin home. "Please," she said loudly with a gesture at the inner room. Isabella pulled the woman into the cover provided by the large canvas awning overhead, where water may have dripped but did not pour. Behind them, she secured the tarp over the doorway, which kept the worst of the blow back out. "He needs help," she said softly, gesturing to the white slave with a leg coated in blood. His hand shook as he looked up meekly with tired eyes.

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#4
((Not at all! Small amount of medical PPing with Kaoru here, if that's alright? A lot of this is medi-babble, feel free to skim.))

Null allowed herself to be dragged along, the woman's grip on her arm preventing her from falling as she stumbled along. She followed the woman through the tarp doorway. Her eyes immediately widened as they took in the sight before her-- a white male with a large, bleeding wound on his leg. She didn't even wait to hear the woman's request for help, shrugging off her cloak and dumping it to the floor, quickly dropping by the males side and opening her thankfully-waterproofed satchel. She pulled out her first aid kit, a human remnant with some additions of her own, and flipped the case open before preparing the poor canine for treatment.

Alright, very good, you've staunched a lot of the bleeding... Here, let's put these pillows here, keep it elevated. Her voice was low and soothing as she positioned pillows underneath the male's-- ah, that ring ment he was a slave, now she remembered-- injured leg, keeping it higher than the rest if his body. Okay, good, keep that pressure for just a minute more, you're doing so well-- It was largely mindless comforting prattle as she rummaged through her kit. She pulled out a cloth and a bottle of clear fluid. --now, this'll sting but it'll keep it clean, yes, good boy-- She moved the slave's hand from his leg and applied the fluid with the cloth to the wound. There we go, now can you swallow this for me? She put a hand behind the slaves head and lifted him a little to help him swallow the contents of a small glass vial-- willow bark extract, a pain reliever that she had traded for some weeks ago-- There we go, you'll feel better soon, now hold still-- She applied a tourniquet to his leg with bandages, higher than the wound so as to staunch the bloodflow while she worked on the injury.

This is the messy bit. Would you mind finding something for him to drink from? He'll need the fluids. Preferably something easy to pour if you've got it, a bottle or some such thing. I don't think he's strong enough to manage unassisted. She directed this to the woman who had led her here, preparing a needle and thread from her kit. Okay dear, you've been very good, now this may hurt a bit but the drink I gave you will make it better, okay? I need you to keep still...

Without further ado, she began to sew up the gash on the slave's leg, bracing against him to hold him still if ever he should move. This was a wound that couldn't be left, it needed to be closed, and Null didn't fancy his chances if she simply bandaged it and left it at that. It was a quick wasn't easy, as the wound was long and Null's hand were numb with cold, but it didn't take too long. Once the wound was closed the slave had a line if stitches down his leg, and Null removed the tourniquet, using fresh bandages to wrap over the newly-sewn gash.

There, all done. He needs to be kept as warm as possible, plenty of rest and fluids, and the bandages need to be changed once a day or whenever they get dirty. Though, that might be difficult if this storm keeps up. Null leaned back on her heels, huffing a sigh of relief.
#5
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428

oh good! I don't mind the pp; he's just an npc after all.

Isabella watched as she stood, wringing her hands nervously. It had been a silly accident, her own fault that her relatively new slave had been injured. Glass had fallen, a flask breaking on the hard packed ground in the main room. The slave had slipped, tripping over when she had yelled a startled cry when she had dropped it. The glass had sliced open his leg badly and it was the only time that the woman had seen the slave react beyond his usual mannerisms. At first it had seemed a lot better than it was, and after they had washed it out with rain water, it was clear it was definitely worse than they had thought. They had transferred him into the pillowed fortune telling room.


The stranger had instantly gone to work on her slave, whose eyes were red with the tears he had been fighting back. Isabella stared at the white pelt marred by blood. He was scarred now, just like her. Oh, her poor, beautiful Kaoru. She fed the slave a drink, and moved his leg. Kaoru bit back his cries of pain, shaking slightly as his leg was elevated on a cotton pillow - the silk ones were hidden away in her den. "H-hai," he said repeatedly after everything the woman had said, obeying blindly even though he barely understood what she had said to him. It was easy to understand while in pain.


The glint of a needle brought both of their eyes to the other woman, fear evident in both of them. Isabella's heart pounded as she rushed to the slaves side, whose hands shook so badly that he could hardly hold them still. She grasped his hands as soon as the needle was threaded and he looked away, the effects of the drink slowly taking hold. But that did not numb his dislike of the needle. He had been just as skittish with the tool for piercing his septum. Isabella stroked the man's hand, cooing slightly with reassurance.


Once the needle poked through his flesh, he whimpered once and shut his eyes tightly. His grip on her hands was hard, making her fingers numb slightly. As soon as it was over, his hands fell limp in her grip and he opened his eyes tiredly, attempting a smile at his mistress and then back at the woman. Isabella let out a breath she had not realized she was holding. "Thank you..," she said softly, sitting back on her feet. "I know this is late, but who are you, mademoiselle ?"

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#6
Null smiled softly down at the slave, pleased with her work. He would be okay she was fairly certain, barring any other injuries. She turned her attention to the woman-- the slave's master, presumably-- and realized that now that the danger of the male dying had passed, she should introduce herself. She bowed her head respectfully before giving her name.

You are most welcome. I am Null Liulfr. I'm a new associate of the pack; I've only been here for a week, roughly. That's why I was out there in the first place-- I don't really have a suitable shelter yet. She explained to the woman, smiling a little. It was fairly poor luck on her part, gaining entrance to her first pack only briefly before a natural disaster hit. She hoped that it would clear up soon, and that no-one was badly hurt or had their belongings too badly damaged. She figured that it would be difficult to hunt once the storm passed, what with the soggy, marshy ground and scent trails being dampened. She would probably have to put her trapping into use to help keep the pack fed while they recovered from the disaster.

Might I ask your name, miss? She asked politely, head tilted to one side. She was unfamiliar with most of her pack mates, only really recognizing the Boss and Draugr, and this woman was completely new to Null. Null felt that she really needed to get to know her pack mates once the storm blew over; she hadn't had nearly enough to do with pack affairs, too afraid of mistepping.
#7
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355

-

Isabella's face twisted into concern. No shelter and a storm like this? What was she supposed to do without a house of her own here now? Well, Isabella had no home for a little while at the beginning, but that had been almost a year ago, hadn't it? She shook her head, and touched the slave's shoulder with a white paw. The white hand blended quite well with the white shoulder, despite the blood splotches on the male's torso and leg. "Only a week? That explains why I don't know you," she said, peering at the slave's bandaged up leg. He did not move it, but touched the bandage carefully, as though expecting it to bleed through like the first clothes they had put to it. Isabella pulled his hand away from it, patting it sternly to the ground beside him.


"ありがとう..," said the white Akita, refraining from reaching out to pat the woman's upper arm. He knew it was not okay for a slave to touch a freewoman without permission. But he was thankful, even if he knew it would mar his flesh forever. His sea-colored gaze shifted to his mistress. Would she find him imperfect now, and thrown him back to the sea, or to the general pack? He swallowed, then flinched at the pain in his leg.


Isabella, meanwhile, eyed the stranger, Null. "I am Isabella. This is my slave Kaoru." It was a weak introduction after the woman had performed something so wonderful for the slave. "If you have no where to weather the storm, I would offer what is sheltered here of my home. You could risk finding your own ruin, but I have candles, water, and some food somewhere. Kaoru where did you put the smoked - ah," she glanced about at the man pointing a weary finger toward the rather amply dug out den. Three could have easily stayed in there, and it was high enough for the woman to be on all fours in optime without pressing towards the ground. "I would happily house you here, mademoiselle ," she offered, voice encouraging.

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#8
((At some point Null is going to dip out outside again because she'll have heard Gale screaming and we can wrap the thread up there-- is it alright if we assume she comes in from the storm again later once Gale's been dealt with? Just trying to get my timelines straightened out.))

I am still unfamiliar with much of the pack. The tiny wolf nodded to Isabella, keeping half an eye on Kaoru as he touched his bandages. She nodded again, mostly to herself, as Isabella removed his hand from his dressing. It wouldn't do to have him mess with his injury too much, or the stitches might come loose, or the wound could become infected.

Thank you. That would be much appreciated. Null smiled and wagged her tail, dipping her head in thanks. There was certainly room here for the three of them, and Null was pleased not to have to brave the weather again. She had been beginning to resolve to find any semi-sturdy structure in the ruins and cower there 'til the storm passed until she had found Isabella. Now, her chances of not getting hypothermia were significantly better. I have never seen a storm like this before. How long do you think it will last? She asked, a note of concern creeping into her voice. The storm was frightening to her, though she made an effort to keep her head in stressful situations. The winds alone could knock her light frame over and send her tumbling, and that was enough to scare her when combined with the sound and the blinding rain.

Are there others with medical knowledge? I know the basics, but it wouldn't hurt to get him checked out by a proper practicer of medicine when you can. She gestured to Kaoru, wondering how much English he knew. She recognized his language as Japanese, but she only knew a handful of words in it. She wondered how well she could communicate with him if she had to.
#9
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370

Of course! It's perfectly fine with me, just let me know (with your post) when she bows out and we can just close it up c:

Isabella nodded at the woman. She herself had a hard time understanding the culture, and still did to be perfectly honest. She had been raised outside of a pack, in a family unit, and then lived on her own for a good long while. It was not hard to get used to seeing the same people over and over again, but it was hard to submit to someone else's authority. It was, perhaps, easier than she thought, but she still had to bow and scrape to the right people in the right way. "You'll get used to it soon enough."


Isabella rose stiffly, taking both the stranger's and her own cloak into her hands. There was a protrusion of iron in the ruined walls that the hybrid used to hang them, letting them drip dry. There were a few candles lit in niches in the walls as well, but they flickered without a care to the storm outside. Isabella sent the closed up entryway a nervous glance, every nerve anxious because of the storm. Maybe it was the dog in her that set her off so badly. "I have never seen something like this. I've always lived inland and this is the first time I've even really seen the sea." Her tone was worried as she glanced at the water dripping off the ends of the cloaks before taking a thin, wool blanket - it was Kaoru's to begin with - and draped it over the slave, who set it under his arms.


"I don't know about medic- wait, yes. I believe Odessa is one of our more medically inclined," she thought carefully, sitting herself back down on the worn rug that covered the entire square of the reading room. "I think she's more preoccupied with her children though, especially with this storm." She looked down when she felt a tug on her elbow, brows furrowed. "の愛人、私はいくつかの水を持っていることがあります?" Kaoru smiled apologetically, and the woman sighed. She brought over a bowl of water poured from fresh rain and let him drink to his hearts content. "Would you like some water? Or if you've seen enough to last you a few moons, how about some weak wine?

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#10
((Will do! cSmile)

Null nodded with a smile towards Isabella, crossing her legs and sitting hunched forward with her elbows on her knees. I'm sure I will. I've got Draugr to teach me, after all, I'm sure she'll set me right. I hope she comes out of the storm alright. She frowned, thinking on her mentor. Draugr would have her own home to take shelter in, of course, and she was much more physically able of looking after herself in these conditions than Null. Null couldn't help a creeping feeling of concern, though.

Null watched as the other canine took their cloaks to hang them up. Her own usually kept her extraordinarily warm and dry, but the winds had made it all but useless. She saw that Isabella was nervous about the storm, which she could understand; Null's family was no strangers to the dangers of treacherous weather, as three of her brothers had died in a snowstorm. This, though, this was unlike anything she had seen. If Null had been prone to believing in such things, she would've compared the storm to a malevolent entity exacting its wrath. No doubt there would be some appealing to their gods for a reprieve, and thanking them once the storm let up. The tiny wolf never paid any mind to such things. Hm, yes. I've never heard of a... wet storm with such ferocity. I've travelled near coasts before, but this... This is something altogether different to anything I'm familiar with. She frowned again, having never been fond of finding a gap in her knowledge. Her ears pricked as the wind reached a particularly shrill pitch outside, before it resumed its lower roar.

Well, you'll want to see if she's available at any time once this has blown over. I can leave you with a disinfectant to make sure the wound doesn't get infected, but she can probably do more for it. But if she's busy I can do what I can, of course. Null didn't want this slave's health to be pinned on her if there was someone else to tend to his injury. She was no doctor, after all, and while she was sure he would be fine she also wanted to cover all of her bases. She tilted her head when Kaoru spoke, watching him for a moment. ...That's Japanese, isn't it? How much English does he know?

Ah-- just water, thanks. I have zero tolerance for alcohol, even light stuff. Last time I tried, like, a glass and a half of wine I ended up on the floor singing to a cat. She grinned sheepishly. It was true-- the cat had been surprisingly willing to put up with her, but it wasn't really an experience that she wanted to repeat.
#11
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It's intense roleplaying with the same person all at once on different characters xD overwheeelming hahahah i love it.

"I've been in snow storms but not anything like this. Usually the summer would have thunderstorms and the such but this is off the sea. It reeks of salt and mud," she said with distaste. Salsola already smelled salty because of its proximity to the sea, considering so much of it was bordered by the ocean. Her nasal bridge furrowed at the thought of mud, knowing that it was good for a few things but just smelled bad and felt disgusting in her hands. She brushed off her hands as though there was dirt specks on her fingers. Isabella sniffled as she looked from the slave to the woman who had helped to patch him up.


Isabella shook her head slightly, knowing that it was better to leave Odessa alone. She would have helped her poor, ivory slave, but Odessa had a child - or was it children? - to take care of. Isabella would rather leave her alone than to bother her when she had much better things to do. "If it's all the same, I'd rather ask you. You are the one who sewed his flesh back together and I can hardly ask Odessa to take time from her offspring." Isabella was not sure the gender of the offspring, she thought it was a son; she had forgotten and it was plaguing her memory. "Of course, if we could manage somehow, right?" she sent her stormy look to the slave, who nodded and muttered a brief yes in Japanese.


The woman asked for water, and the gypsy woman reached for a earthenware bowl to pour in the fresh water. It was clean and free of debris as she handed the bowl to the other woman. "Yes, it's Japanese. Kaoru is from the island himself. 日本ではどこから来たの?" she asked the slave, who eyed his mistress before turning to the other woman. "Tokyo. Near sea. Some English," he said softly, shaking a hand to demonstrate his grasp of the language was so-so. "Know?" he asked, furrowing his white brows together as he struggled to sit up straighter. Isabella intercepted him and forced him back firmly. "Stop it, fool," she said rather harshly. She was frustrated with herself for being the cause of the accident, but she could hardly apologize to her slave in front of another member. It could be taken as weakness.


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#12
((Oh man, it just occurred to me that you're Gale, too. XD I was confused for a second there!))

Mmm, snow storms. Give me a blizzard over this any day. Null wrinkled her own face with displeasure. Salt was okay, she didn't mind the smell of the ocean, but the mud-- she was already up to the knees with it just from trying to find her way through the storm. It was disgusting, something Null was never happy to deal with. Thunderstorms were alright, too, since you generally didn't need a sturdy shelter to hide from a common thunderstorm, and she liked the smell that came with them.

Null nodded-- if Odessa was truly so preoccupied with her young that she couldn't check over a slave for a few minutes, then she supposed that she could take full responsibility for the slave's health. The runt didn't like it, but she would do it regardless. Null was fully aware that children took work, especially during and after a disaster like this, but really? Not even a moment to make sure a wound was healing properly? Alright then, only a suggestion. If you ever need that checked out just find me or put out the word and I'll come take care of it. She gestured to the bandaged wound and shrugged nonchalantly as though it was no big deal, though she detested the idea of having to take responsibility for it if anything went wrong, despite how little chance there was of that.

Null took the water gladly and gulped it down, much thirstier from stress and the strain of fighting through the storm than she had realized. She turned her dark umber eyes back to Kaoru, one hand twitching to push him back down gently, but Isabella beat her to it. She tilted her head and shrugged. While I'm aware of Tokyo and know a bit about Japan, I only know a handful of random words in the language. Nothing solid I'm afraid. Now, stop being a silly ばか and keep down. She teased lightly with a gentle smile belying her words, not willing to be mean to an injured slave just to assert dominance-- especially since it wasn't her slave. If he pushed his luck then sure, but not under the current circumstances. Don't put any more stress on that wound than you absolutely have to.
#13
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300

sorry for the delay, hun! D: busy busy school. (side note: anything foreign i ever write, has a hover for translation cSmile

Isabella gave a lighthearted laugh as she leaned back against the cool stones of her ruin. It was a light chill that penetrated her back, fur as thick as hers allowed little in. "I'm made for snow and wind, but rain just makes everything so.. heavy," she said with a flourish of her hands. Water slipped through her pelt, touching the skin underneath. If it was warm, there was little issue but she hated cold anything; whenever she actually felt cold she recoiled instantly. Isabella was a creature of the sun, of fire. Just because she lingered in the shadows did not mean she did not pay homage to the sun, for without it, there would be no shadows to hide the truth in.


The gypsy woman nodded, despite the other woman's hesitation of offering the assistance. Truth be told, she doubted that Kaoru would take a turn for the worst. He was young, healthy, and he was strong enough to fight. She would have to check his bandages though; he could hardly be trusted with that and he was her valuable property. No use killing him with negligence. "I'm sure we'll be alright, but never hurts to have a safety net."


The slave furrowed his brows at the woman calling him a fool, and almost leaned forward but saw the murderous look on the gypsy woman's face. 俺は馬鹿ではないです..," he said softly, looking away. He knew it was a playful insult but he still didn't like it; perhaps it was just his nature or his upbringing. Meanwhile, Isabella watched the exchange, thoroughly amused at the woman's handling of the slave. She seemed almost used to them. "How do you know of Japan, mademoiselle?" she asked, drawing the attention from the injured Akita to herself.


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#14
((No worries~! Anything foreign I write is ripped directly from a translator and may be completely wrong >.>))

Ugh, water. Goes straight through my fur, and takes so long to dry out after. Cold cold cold cold cold. I prefer a dry storm to a wet one, but I just love the heat. Proper heat, when everyone's loungin' around because it's so darn hot, that's the best. My folks are from Arizona, y'know. It's scorchin' in Arizona, apparently. Why they moved up north I will never know. Null sighed. While she had grown up in the snow and the cold, she was built for much warmer temperatures. She didn't suffer unduly in cooler weather, but she didn't take as easily to it as canines of northern origin. Null was fond of shadows because they kept her unnoticed-- and she had slightly photophobic eyes, meaning they hurt in bright light and she would get migraines-- but she would never pass up a chance to sunbathe if the weather was warm enough.

Yeah, he'll be alright. Won'tcha, Kaoru? You'll be fine, you're a strong young lad. You'll bounce back soon enough. She shot a friendly grin at the slave, not at all sure what the proper way to behave around slaves was. She suspected that Isabella was being harsh out of worry and a need to seem strong in front of a stranger. Null didn't really care about seeming strong, though-- being 'strong' was different to being useful, after all. And the tiny wolf didn't like snapping and snarling at people just to make herself look above them. Her inherent politeness caused her to twitch uncomfortably when Kaoru frowned-- she had only been teasing, after all.

かわいこちゃん, Kaoru. She used the least formal apology she could remember, since she felt that addressing him as a superior would be pushing it even for her. I was only teasing. Don't take it to heart, 'kay? She patted his elbow good-naturedly. She looked back to Isabella. I forgot how formal they are over in Japan. Also, I may be being a total pushover right now. I've never met slaves before, I don't think I'm used to it yet. I suppose-- how strict are you even supposed to be, I don't know what's proper. I don't wanna be mean or nothin'. She pulled an unsure face for a moment before shrugging it off. She supposed she'd get the hang of it eventually.

Oh, um-- I used to read a lot. Somewhere along the line I read a book on Japanese culture and stuff. And I knew a guy who had a lot of Japanese friends, a gaggle of travelers who'd wound up in Russia, where he met 'em. I ran into him when he travelled here to Nova Scotia, and he used to tell me what he'd learned. I haven't seen him in a while, actually, I hope he's alright. Null frowned a little, before another thought hit her. Oh, and I have a book! She rummaged in her satchel before pulling out a small, worn little book-- an English to Japanese dictionary. I've been meaning to learn the language, but I've been neglecting my studies a little bit. Got distracted by French and Italian and Russian. As a consequence, I only know a handful of words in each. She sighed and ran a hand over her face.
#15
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335

like what you told Kaoru? xDD

To the Akita, it felt like flirting and he kept his eyes averted. It was not something he was permitted to do with strangers, even if the stranger had helped heal him with her magic and her knowledge of the flesh. Plus, his culture demanded that he and women be modest. That and he was just not used to anyone else flirting with him. Isabella flirted but she also ordered and threatened. He could deal with her moods and her manipulations, but he was lost with a decent being. But he looked up suddenly at the woman's words, clearly misused and bumbled for words. He glanced from the woman to his mistress in desperation before choosing to look away, shamefaced. Under his breath, he muttered, "それは適切ではありません..." Isabella merely narrowed her eyes at him, unsure of what had happened. Clearly someone was said, but she hardly knew what it meant. So little of it were sounds she recognized.


Shrugging it off, the woman returned the smile to her face as she gazed at the woman. "You may be as strict as you want with your slaves and the communal slaves. But I'd recommend you talk to a private slave's master before using them. They're fellow canines, but they are far below us, so some respect should be given so they do not hate the hand that feeds them." It was as though she was talking about a horse or a pet cat.


The gypsy woman's brows lifted, the white blobs bobbing up. French, she said? "Parlez-vous français?" she asked curiously, leaning forward with her hands in her lap. "Where did you find these books? What else of the language do you know?" She sounded excited, oh yes. No one in the Thistle Kingdom spoke the language she had grown up with, or rather had learned to properly work in Montreal. It was like being deprived of something she loved and she could tell her skills in the language were dampening.


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#16
((I swear it was ment to be 'gommenasai' WHAT THE HELL DID I SAY. Also, I think she's gonna hear Gale next post :3))

What-- Aw hell, I've embarrassed him. Goddamn culture barriers. Sorry. Null winced when she saw Kaoru's reaction. It occurred to her that perhaps she had been too friendly in his eyes, taking the formal, respectful culture in Japan into account. Though, this was hardly an unfamiliar situation to her; she often came across as 'too-friendly', or even flirted without realising it. It was still embarrassing. She always hated to be misinterpreted. Kaoru was cute, sure, but in a 'I wanna pudge his face' sort of way. Null had a type-- giant and not-a-slave.

Right, right. Like... A clever pet? Sounds good. And I wouldn't presume to use someone else's save without permission, of course. I just don't want to overstep, y'know? Or understep, as the case may be. Hm. Thanks much, I hadn't thought to ask Draugr yet. Null nodded, glad of the explanation. She always liked to be one hundred percent sure of anything before she got at all involved, though she doubted she would ever have a slave herself or even use a communal one. She was too paranoid and private about even her most innocuous of affairs to involve anyone else, even a slave. She hated for anyone to know about her matters unless it was something she was doing specifically for people to know about.

Je parle juste un peu français. I'm learning, a bit at a time. Null shrugged with a slight smile. I have this habit of hunting down libraries whenever I find an old human settlement, and I found a set of language books in pretty good condition. I've yet to get started on some of them. I tend to remember a handful of cool words in all the languages I study, and my mother used to drop foreign words into her speech at random so I got some from there. I'll get the hang of them all eventually, I'm sure. She grinned, confident that she could become proficient in any and all of her chosen languages. She wanted to learn them; what more did she need to know that she would master them? She had never failed at any subject she had wanted to learn (though Russian was proving suprisingly difficult). So, is French your birth language? She asked convivially, rubbing at the back of her neck.
#17
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306

you told him "kawaii ko-chan" xDDDD I think you just didn't copy the right thing down. Also, Isa sounds like the biggest Mary-sue ever but she's just really really vain :| she's honestly just a bitch xD;

Isabella reclined back against the wall, then shifted uncomfortably as the woman spoke on. She gave the newer Thistle Kingdom member a sly smile as she set a soft pillow behind her own back against the stone wall. "That is an interesting habit you've picked up there," she said softly, crossing her arms across her lap. Kaoru seemed to be halfway asleep, his eyes wandering drowsily. He was stilling following the conversation but he seemed to be pulling from it more often than before to stare aimlessly around. His head was lolling too, somehow ignoring the clashes of thunder that rumbled overhead and the whistling of the wind against the ruin walls.


"Pratique. Pratique et vous obtiendrez de meilleurs à le parler," she said encouragingly, unsure of how much the other woman understood of her tongue. The gist of it was easy; practice. That was all that she really needed to know and really all she ever had to do. Her father used to say that practice made perfect (though her mother honestly never said it and often times implied one had to be perfect from the start). Perhaps that was why she was such a strange one; she knew she was perfect - oh so perfect - but she worked at it, to stay perfect. "Practice and maybe one day we can converse away from prying ears about our secrets. Ne, Kaoru?"


Isabella had turned to look at the male, but he had shut his eyes and his head had lolled to the side. His breathing was a little raspy but it was probably from the stress of injury, blood loss, and the suturing. "Here," she said, holding out a pillow for the other woman. Null was closer to that side than Isabella was, and it was all for the comfort of her poor, beautiful, marred slave.


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#18
((Oh my gosh XD! I'd been looking up basic phrases not five minutes before and I musta got the wrong one, oh jeez. Also, lol, she doesn't seem too Sue-ish to me, it's cool.))

Null understood the gist of the French that rolled off Isabella's tounge, but only by comparing it to the languages she already knew. She nodded when the other woman spoke again in English, having always been confident in her on ability to master a skill with enough practice. Though she didn't know that she'd ever go sharing her secrets. Isabella seemed a decent sort, but Null was paranoid and secretive to the marrow of her bones. Mmhmm, She replied, which could be interpreted as confirmatory or noncommittal, I'm sure I'll get it sooner or later. Just gotta stck with it.

Null took the proffered pillow and positioned it for Kaoru's comfort, being sure not to jostle him. There we go... She murmured, mostly to herself. Hm. She listened to the raspy breathing, worrying that it could be a sign of impending pneumonia, before determining that it was just from stress and exertion. She nodded once to herself and looked up to Isabella again-- when a sound caught her attention. She pricked her ears and sat up straighter, listening for it again. It sounded like someone screaming, outside.

In one fluid movement she swept her kit back into her bag-- leaving antiseptic and a roll of bandages for Kaoru-- and hoisted the satchel onto her shoulder as she grabbed her cloak. Someone outside, catchya later-- She managed to blurt, before darting out into the storm again to find whoever was screaming in the wind.


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