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Watch the skyscrapers as they melt away
It was a strange feeling. She had nowhere to go-- at least for the time being. She had found Vedr and told him what had happened, that Shadowed Sun was no more. And now, what was there to do? She supposed she would stay with Vedr for a while, or at least she could figure out she would do next. Where to go next. She wished she could have stayed with Pilot and Vedr, with Skoll and Lubomir, too, and Urma. But that wasn't possible. She would just have to make it on her own (more or less) for now. She had only met Vedr, but it felt like she had known him all her life. It was strange, for she felt more at ease with him around, with the way he was able to make his words flow so smoothly and smile so elegantly.
She smiled, wondering why everything felt so different this time. Unlike Jaded Shadows disbanding, Shadowed Sun's had been less hasty and well-thought over, following the unfortunate death of her friend, and the disappearance of another. This time, however, she felt less worried, less panicked, for she knew she would make it out alright. She would find someplace to stay, perhaps find where Pilot was, or join another pack nearby. When she did, it would be time for her to part ways with Vedr, even if she only saw him occasionally. It would be strange parting ways with the dark-hued stranger, for she would certainly miss his company. But she would keep in contact with him, for she did not want to lose another friend.
She heard someone chuckle, and she turned around, searching for the source of the sound. "Is someone there?" She asked no one in particular, but heard the sound again. She frowned; realization dawned. "Oh," she muttered quietly, then laughed again, for a third and final time.
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Have fun playing with Agani's volume level ;D
[html] But I love you.
He left the Dampwoods behind, though he did not know it at the time. Arachnea's Revenge was so similar to the skeletal, sweeping trees, and he was unaware of the established borders, and all he wanted was to find the things he knew again. Safety and security and home. He badly needed them back again.
I meant it, I meant it.
Fox and Umaru had been his travelling companions for so long, he never knew what it was to be really alone. And suddenly Umaru was gone, off to apprentice another poor fool with another sob story into his craft, and Agani was left without the lands he knew like his own feet, wandering this place that he was only drawn to because Tayui was here.
Tayui, and Ember, and family and home. He wanted them back.
A shadow against a tree barely startled him. He was used to them, the pale, bloodless ones that tried to drag him in pretending to be something else. Something alive. He didn't want to see their faces anymore, but that would involve the removal of his eyes... Ears were one thing, eyes were an entirely different story. He liked seeing, thanks very much. Instead, he made to turn away, but noticed something.
The stripe, the carriage, the smile on a face that he thought was otherworldly. It was no ghost nor spirit nor even a gremlin trying to play tricks on him; it was his mother. Or the closest thing to it. He laughed. He couldn't help it, it escaped him before he could stop it, but he was frozen in place, feet set precariously, hands clenched on the strap of his bag.
I told you I'd take you to her, didn't it?
"T-t-tayui?" [/html]
[html] http://i36.tinypic.com/23tqi2r.jpg); background-position:top; background-repeat: no-repeat; width: 448px; border: 1px solid #000; background-color: #20466A;"> What form is Agani in? Tayui is in Optime.
Watch the skyscrapers as they melt away
This time, the noise had to be real. She wasn't imagining it, or laughing quietly and pretending she hadn't. She heard the sound of footsteps off in the distance, carried to her by the gentle wind. She tilted her head, perking her ears to try and catch the sound. Again, she heard something-- or someone-- moving closer. She did not have to wait long, for the other creature had not been too far away. She saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. Another second, two, three, and the creature was closer; distinguishably canine. She moved to greet the other, offer a quick hello before turning away and letting the stranger continue on, but the other wolf stopped-- dead in its tracks.
She smiled nervously, unsure why the wolf was just standing there, why he had not yet moved. She smiled awkwardly, taking a moment to examine the stranger. A male wolf, lanky and thin, with fur the tint of blue. For some reason, the strange sheen seemed familiar, the way the wolf stood there staring, then-- the voice. T-t-tayui? came the question, softly, hesitantly. Tayui said nothing, shocked; the voice, the voice, could it be? She frowned slightly, moving closer to see the wolf better, for he was still slightly obscured by the shadows of the trees. Her eyes widened as the realization dawned. "Is that you, Agani?" Breathless, windswept, she felt like she had just been picked up and set on a cloud, weightless and astonished. She had not seen him in... how long? Since... that day. Since... then. How could he...? He was... alive? She reached out with a hand, then retracted it, worried. What if it wasn't? But... it had to be. It was. She smiled, then reached out again, her hand steady, more certain this time.
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[html]I know why I didn't see the reply... I thought I started the thread x_x Smrt. I SUx0rz.
When he'd first conceived returning to Jaded Shadows, he'd thought the thing that would make him feel at home again, put his heart at ease, would be Tayui's voice. He could no longer hear her... But he could. A memory put the words she was saying into his ears, her voice reshaped by a child's dreams. No, no, she sounds like this, said his friend, and the words replayed, but less commanding, more in awe, older and wiser.
His own words caught in his throat as she reached out for him, a smile on her face. At that moment, he was sure he had never seen anything more beautiful, except maybe Ember. His hand wasn't as steady as he reached for her, stepping closer to take her own, no longer quite familiar with its contours. He really had grown that much.
"Tayui... I've been looking so long." [/html]
[html] http://i36.tinypic.com/23tqi2r.jpg); background-position:top; background-repeat: no-repeat; width: 448px; border: 1px solid #000; background-color: #20466A;"> Ahh~ :3 This part makes me go 'b'awwww' D: <3
Watch the skyscrapers as they melt away
"I wish you'd never had to look," she replied, drawing the words from deep within her heart. She wished she had never needed to hear Agani say it, wished this meeting had never happened, that she could have taken her adoptive son's presence for granted and have always had him by her side. It had been hard after Shaeniire had died. Agani had disappeared, and Ember had run off only moments after the event. And then Ember, too, had died, and by then, Tayui's mate, closest friends, and children were gone. She smiled happily, trying to blink away the tears that seemed determined to obscure her vision.
Agani was here and he was alive. It took her another second to fully realize the implications of the words, and as soon as she had, she went to grasp Agani's outstretched hand and pull him into a bear hug. "I've missed you so much, I'm so glad you came back," she whispered, then laughed quietly. Her son had returned.
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[html]D'awww =3
It took him a few moments to realise that she was there, and she was not vanishing. This wasn't a dream, and she wasn't going to disappear into the mist, another ghost to haunt him. Tayui was still there, a tangible thing, and within- in!- his grasp. She was talking, and the voice in his head- his new best friend, he figured- was translating for him, like a strange echo of Tayui's voice, just a moment past the words that left her lips.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Shush, it's nothing.
His grip on her hand tightened, but as he made move to clasp it tighter with both, she pulled him forward abruptly, almost off of his feet, and threw her arms around him. He did the same, fitting Tayui neatly under his chin, joyous tears rolling freely down his cheeks and off of his nose and whiskers. She was beautiful and real and he wished he had never run away, had always had that small measure of courage he had found. But only the small one.
"I'm so s-s-sorry I left," he whispered. "I was selfish. Afraid of the darks."
We're here now, Aggie. Both of us. [/html]
[html] http://i36.tinypic.com/23tqi2r.jpg); background-position:top; background-repeat: no-repeat; width: 448px; border: 1px solid #000; background-color: #20466A;"> This thread is so bittersweet ;; <3
Watch the skyscrapers as they melt away
"We were both selfish," Tayui conceded. Although she had never thought of Shaeniire's death with the faint overtone of conceit and self centeredness, she now realized that such hues saturated the picture quite well. She had known Shaeniire's death would affect all of them-- Ember, Agani, Mordulin, Fatin, all of Jaded Shadows, and Shaeniire's biological children, if they were to ever find out. But had she ever considered the implications? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Agani had disappeared shortly after Shaeniire's death, and perhaps it had been selfish of Tayui to think she was all Agani would need. Perhaps Agani really did need two monther's, and somehow -- in the end -- none was better than one.
She could not blame him for his actions, however, and never would. It had happened, and it was over; it was still relevant, but not so much anymore. Agani was back, her son. Shaeniire's son. Their son. For a moment, she felt her heart clench at the thought knowing Shaeniire was not here to see his return, even as a ghost. Tayui knew that she would always love Shaeniire, even if she found someone else, no matter what. And she knew Agani would, too. "I'll protect you now, if you need," she whispered. A long pause, and: "Will you stay with me?"
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[html] "I'll never leave."
He said it with a surety he hadn't felt in ages, since deciding he needed to come home and find Tayui. He knew this time it was the truth... He wouldn't leave Tayui until he died. She was all of his strength, and she needed more protection than she knew. Who knew what else was out there, waiting. Another Bloodbane, another Voidfane, another ghost locked in the dark.
There were plenty of those.
Just not the ones he needed. Not Shaeniire, or mister Fly Agaric. No one with the strength to help. It was rare for a ghost to have the strength to come back and finish something... They mostly had the weakness of will to want to cling to something they couldn't finish. And he couldn't help them. It didn't stop them from wanting it. He knew that mister Fly and Shaeniire would have the strength to help him, but he had never seen them since their last.
"I'll never go."
And he said it exactly like that because he knew he hadn't the will to try and finish what he had started, nor could he cross into what he didn't know. [/html]
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Watch the skyscrapers as they melt away
Tayui had heard Agani speak before, and could easily recall times they had conversed. He and Ophelia had always reminded her of one another. Both Ophelia's and Agani's speech had been different, as if it had been difficult for them to speak. That small connection (aside from both of them being Shaeniire's children, be it by blood or adoption) resurfaced once more, forcing Tayui to acknowledge Agani's words, to examine them. I'll never leave. They were said with such certainty and finality that had never been present before, not even a few minutes ago.
I'll never go. Again, again, he said it. And Tayui believed it. "Then we will stay together. No matter how long forever is," she added, not knowing if she had added on the forever to Agani's words in her mind, or if he had really said it. Regardless, a promise was a promise, and she would not lose him again. He would not lose her again.
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