If you could only see the beast you've made of me

[why_me]

» WHO? Garion and you
» WHEN? just after he wakes up near the gym
» WHERE? Around (basically anywhere public is fair game)
» WHAT? There's a wolf walking around the station
» WARNINGS? None so far. Happy to use [ ] for any replies.


There is a wolf wandering around the station. A large wolf. A large white wolf with blue eyes.

Because he woke up in a chamber near the gym, that's where he's likely to be found, but he's wandering now, trying to sniff out something, anything, to tell him what's going on. Now, of course, he's not just a wolf. He's also a man by the name of Garion (or Belgarion, technically) but given that a wolf can cover distances much faster than a human can, that he'll have the advantage of a nose that can sniff out nearly anything on his muzzle, and the fact that between his teeth and his claws, he'll have more a weapon in that form should he encounter anything dangerous...

He's always scouted as a wolf. Really, this is no change. Or he tries to remind himself it's very little change, even though he can't sense his Aunt Pol or his Grandfather or even Durnik anywhere. Even though his wife is nowhere to be found and he can't smell her, not even on his own skin, not on the clothing he woke up in. Neither his wife nor his children and it's upsetting on two legs, but on four, it just gives him a sense of urgency.

So if you happen to see a rather large white wolf near the mess or the bar area or one of the crew quarters or just in the hallways, well...

He's as new to this as you are.

Comments

[why_me]

There's a wince there because yes, yes he does.

"Well, if you want to be technical about it," he begins, a faint grimace on his face, "the full mouthful is 'King Belgarion of Riva, Lord of the Western Sea, Overlord of the West, Beloved of the god Aldur, Child of Light, Godslayer' but we're not in Riva, the fish have never needed much management, the West is more trouble than it's worth, Aldur isn't here, I passed that title on some time ago, and I don't really like talking about kiling anyone so..."

Shrug.

"Garion covers the important parts."

[lightduties]

His grin only grows wider, his slightly elongated canines clearly visible.

"Have you a tale with both?"

[why_me]

"Oh, I certainly do," he says with a grin and a tilt of his head towards where they were headed. "And quite a few hard heads. Though I suppose I'll first have to explain what an Arend is, which is a somewhat novel experience."

[magneticfields]

"Must be pretty spry for a thousand." His knees hurt sometimes now. "Going up and down all those stairs. But if you don't have a tower, what do you do when you need to figure something out?"

The man gets an entire tower to himself and claims to be a thousand years old. He must be a truly masterful swindler.

[why_me]

"Six thousand," he corrects mildly, "though he doesn't like to be reminded of it."

He offers a faint chuckle as he shrugs.

"And generally, I go into the throne room late at night and talk to a rock, so it's not really for everyone."

Of course, it's a rock that can talk back, but it's not as if that's normal either.

[tumang]

"That, my dude, makes zero sense."

But then again the guy can turn into a beast. So what does Amos know.

"If there's a skin on top of everything, does that mean you're useless?"

[why_me]

"I suppose we'll find out," is all he says to that, though he doesn't sound concerned. After all- "Though I tend to find my misfortune in being useful as opposed to the opposite problem. There's more than one way to skin a boar, as they say."

[lightduties]

Where are they going? He wasn't paying much attention earlier...

Like any good listener, Rhea'li asks, "And, pray tell, what is an Arend?"

[why_me]

"The people of Chaldan, the Bull God," he says with a turn of his hand, "and that in itself tells you quite a lot about them. Very impressive, very impassioned... and very very hard-headed."

[blacksky]

That earns another soft laugh. She actually can't remember the last time something made her feel good in a simple way like this. "Did I offend you?" Elektra sounds sincerely amused by the idea. She sets the weight bar back in its proper place. She moves to put the disks back as well. He's curious so she sees no reason not to act as she would normally. "I am sorry if I did. Don't tell anyone I am capable of apologies though. That's between us."

[why_me]

Garion's response to that is a deeply amused yip of a noise before letting his tongue lolling as if to say 'it's between you and me'. Then he watches the rest of what she's doing.

[tumang]

Amos smirks, standing up and patting Garion on the shoulder. "Well, good luck. If we find a boar on board, I'll definitely call you. Gotta get back to work, now."

[why_me]

He looks down at the hand on his shoulder, doesn't seem offended by it, but he can tell that tone. Honestly, he finds it a little amusing. A lifetime of asking 'why me' and this is certainly a sort of just dessert, isn't it?

"And what is it that you're doing? Perhaps I could be of use with that?"

[magneticfields]

"Oh, of course. Forgive me." Can't get the grifter's details wrong, of course. Erik just goes along with it, though. Unless the old man happens to show up, it doesn't matter anyway.

"You have access to a throne room back home?" Erik glances about at the squalid, especially for space, mess hall. "Bit of a step down." The rock part doesn't even catch his ear. Erik's been known to talk to stranger things.

Solitary confinement leads to some extreme coping methods.

[why_me]

"Side effect of being a king," he says easily enough. It's not exactly a secret back home. "And one of the less irritating ones, to be honest."

[magneticfields]

This information is surprising. The man has an easy sort of confidence, apparently can shapeshift into animal forms, and has taken the radical change in scenery in stride. But he hasn't seemed to rush into any attempt at leadership. Erik wouldn't have pegged him for a monarch.

Maybe this is just some kind of vacation to him. "I hope you don't expect us to start calling you our liege or something."

[why_me]

The soft snort he gives at the very idea says enough but-

“I’m not your king,” he points out with a shake of his head. No. Really, no. “And it doesn’t have anything to do with anything as to why I’m here. Besides, I have a perfectly functional name.”

He glances over at Erik. Then, plainly, he informs him:

“Being a king mostly just means all the problems are your problems. And the crown gives me a headache.”

[neuralnet]

Haruto nods along dumbly as the names go on and on. "Yes, well, I would prefer if you didn't slay anyone or talk about slaying anyone, anyway. I'll just stick to Garion."

[tumang]

"Fixing the comms system around deck 6. Plenty of the computers are on the fritz and need to be looked into. That something you're familiar with?"

He's pretty sure he knows the answer, but. Who knows.

[why_me]

"No," he admits easily enough, "but if you explain a little about it, I can probably help."

He doesn't want to intrude, but it does tend to be true.

[magneticfields]

"You'd be surprised how little that matters to some kings," Erik points out. Most of the nobility he's crossed paths with over the years have been very anxious to make sure everybody knew it. Though it wasn't exactly limited to hereditary titles.

Though the complaints make him curious. "Have you ever thought about transitioning to a democracy?"

[why_me]

"I was raised a Sendar," he starts off before pausing, realizing that he actually needs to explain this as opposed to simply being able to say that and move on. "Which is the only country that has ever elected their king. I have a healthy respect for the idea of it, and I do think there's merit to letting people have a say in how the kingdom is run. All people, not just nobles."

But-

"The problem being that there's duties which only those of my line can deal with. Duties which, to some degree, are tied to the guardianship of my country and of the west in general."

He scratches at his ear a little.

"Though given the way things are now, it might be more of a possibility. I wouldn't mind it, mostly."

[blacksky]

That earns a round of genuine laughter from Elektra. She smiles brightly at him once she's done. "You are a riot. I may just sneak you food and keep the others from killing you." Actually that's the plan now. He's growing on her. It helps that she's actually a quite lonely woman on this and every other plane of existence.

She heads for the treadmill next, eager to run out her excess energy. "Come to think of it they are a bunch of bleeding hearts. I bet they'll complain if anyone tries so I might get away with just looking pretty while they do all the work for me."

end scene?

[tumang]

Amos sighs. And here he is, again.

"Well, c'mon then. No time to waste if I'm going to have to explain everything. Let's go."

[why_me]

"Much appreciated," because he doesn't particularly like talking about any of it either. Some folks would bandy about that 'godslayer' title but he's always had very strong feelings that a man does not kill a god lightly. It's nothing he's ever relished.

"So Haruto, what is it that you do back where you're from, if you don't mind me asking."