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

[lightduties]

It's in the hallways that Rhea'li encounters the wolf.

The wolf looks more fully furred than the lanky offerings he's used to hunting, but also much smaller. Still, he knows full well how dangerous wild wolves can be. So even though questions are running through his mind -- Where did the beastkin come from? -- Rhea'li's wary of the creature.

And so there is a short person who looks like a human, save for the feline ears crowning his head -- a brass ring piercing each ear -- and the long white-furred tail, staring down the wolf. There's no fear in Rhea'li's eyes as he waits to determine the wolf's disposition -- aggressive and prone to attack, or tame and familiar with Spoken company -- though a hand slowly inches towards a pocket in his jumpsuit.

[why_me]

As soon as the wolf sees the other person, it will slow and sniff at the air before clearly making a decision and sitting down on the ground. Paws will go down, head will go down; he doesn't intend to fight unless he's attacked. And given that this person is dressed the same way he was when he first woke up, he figures he's more likely to be in a similar situation than he is to be the cause of it.

[lightduties]

Rhea'li relaxes slightly, though he doesn't yet approach. That sort of body language...

"You don't appear to be wild..."

Trained, perhaps?

A hand goes to his chin, tail swishing behind him as he thinks. Training these sorts of animals are normally the realm of the beast tribes. But perhaps there's some similarity to how chocobos are trained? Sometimes their keepers would teach them key words, like...

"Home?" he tries. "Keeper. Master. Heel."

[tumang]

He's on his way to bunk down when Amos finds himself faced with - the largest dog he's ever seen? No, that's not right. It doesn't quite look like a dog, more... it takes him a moment to recall, the species extinct by now - a wolf.

"What the fuck," he says, flatly, but still raises his gun without missing a beat, taking the animal in his sights. He's survived way too much in his life to be taken out by a wild animal on a space station, fuck.

"Why the hell are there so many animals around here?"

[why_me]

He doesn't know what a gun is. He can't.

But he's spent enough time watching Lelldorin and other archers ply their trade that he knows what it looks like when a man is sighting a target. That's why he makes the split second decision... to sit down. Sit down, and look like nothing so much as a large dog before looking over at the man.

After all, that is a reasonable response to a large wolf. But he doesn't exactly feel like taking whatever sort of arrow that thing shoots. Which is why this position also lets him look right at the man where he can possibly bark out a bit of sorcery if need be.

[why_me]

...he's very very glad his grandmother isn't here to see this. Because he has a feeling she'd have bounded forward to snap at him just for that. As it is, he considers his options, pushing himself up to sort of circle around thoughtfully before finally giving a bark of a noise designed to communicate that he is at least communicating before backing off a little.

He's going to change back but he won't start until it's clear he's not going to be attacked for it.

[lightduties]

Definitely not a wild animal. Rhea'li tilts his head to the side, confused, but his hand is no longer going to the pockets of his jumpsuit, where the only spell he's had the chance to write is stored.

The wolf doesn't seem fearful. Did he confuse the creature? He's not quite sure what the circling and bark is supposed to mean, but the wolf doesn't seem hungry either.

Thoroughly bewildered, he lets the wolf back off.

[why_me]

It's hard to say exactly what happens, but from one moment to the next, the wolf is now a man. A rather large Hyur-type man, to be frank, dressed as they all are, with blond hair and blue eyes. He holds up his hand and shows off another distinctive trait: an opalescent round mark that takes up most of his palm.

"That should make things a little easier."

Beat.

"Hello."

[tumang]

Amos tilts his head when the dog - wolf - animal - sits down. Like it's trying to be non-threatening? Its own way of putting its hands up? Amos doesn't lower his gun, but he doesn't shoot, either.

He's all too used to stand-offs like this. He could stay here forever, keeping an eye on the animal.

"What are you even doing here?"

Did someone get themselves a wolf, the way Frank had gotten Max?

[why_me]

There is a language spoken by wolves, in gesture and sound and movement, that some humans can understand, that all wolves can understand, that some dogs who still remember can understand.

It is utterly unnecessary to understand the expression on the wolf's face which says, in short:

How do you THINK?

There's a disappointed-in-you sound as well as he actually drops onto his front paws.

[lightduties]

!!!

The surprise is clear on Rhea'li's face when he jerks back, as if scalded, ears and tail twitching upwards. He's seen many things in his travels, but never has an animal transformed back to a Spoken being.

Well. Quickly composing himself, he responds. "Hello, friend." A small smile spreads across his face. "You're a mage, then?"

[why_me]

"Not what I'd call it," he admits, but it hasn't been that many years since he called that kind of thing 'magic' himself. He certainly wouldn't now. "But it'll serve for the moment."

He glances around the hallway they're in before he ends up scratching behind one ear.

"I don't suppose you'd know anything about how I got here?" He looks the man's uniform up and down. "Or how we got here?" He's less sure of that second part.

[lightduties]

Rhea'li tilts his head. A mage but not?

"I know not, I'm afraid. Neither of how we arrived, nor why we were taken." He shakes his head. "When I saw what appeared to be a wild animal, I hoped to track it from whence it came."

He has no answers, unfortunately.

[veristitalian]

This is the third one of these things Jasnah has seen. The first was Alucard in wolf form, the second was Frank's sentient pet.

Now, she sets the book she's reading down in exasperation on the mess hall table, and gives him a look.

"You need hands to operate the food distribution machinery."

The animals are just so twisted and unpleasant looking.

[why_me]

The thing of it is... he's had a day. He's had more than a day. He's been plucked from his home, his belongings either taken or left behind. He doesn't know where his wife or his children are, the state of his country, the state of his world, and the one thing that's always guided him is currently being mute when he needs answers. And now, someone's looking at him as if he's an idiot after he's had to deal with all of this, plus being in space, a thing he hadn't even realized was possible until a few hours ago.

In short, he's in a foul mood.

Which is why he lets out a soft noise, almost like a low bark, before one of the food dispenser buttons press and dispenses (more than likely) a duplicate of whatever was last dispensed.

The wolf gives her a look right back then, even though the second after he'd done it, he'd realized it was petty and a little ridiculous. Ugh. Ugh.

[why_me]

"I suppose there are no animals here, then. Like..." he glances around, "like a labyrinth or a dungeon. Only instead of being underground, we're..."

His eyes flicker towards one of the windows. That's still very unnerving for him.

[veristitalian]

"Don't take that tone with me, child."

Says Jasnah, mostly because she can't see his sex, partially because something about his expression looks adolescent.

But this is more interesting. He hadn't seemed to press that with his paw, he'd done it with a sound. Just intriguing enough to keep Jasnah from picking her book back up on principle.

"Can you use that surgebinding to get the tray onto the floor?"

[why_me]

When she calls him out for his tone, he gives a tired sort of sound, as if to say 'yes, ma'am', because really, he knows it was childish. He knows very well he reacted with his frustration and not with his brain. He won't even fight it.

But the question has him considering, which is why a moment later, he makes another sound, soft low rumble that sounds as the tray lifts and slowly makes it's way to the floor in front of him. Then, of course, his priority is eating because he realizes with the smell in his nose that he hasn't all day, but hopefully, the question was answered.

He keeps the word in mind, though. 'Surgebinding'. He'll have to ask about that when he can talk.

[lightduties]

"...Above the heavens," he finishes for the stranger, casting his gaze outside the same window.

He hasn't been here for all that long, but the lack of the sun on his face, the cool breeze of the night, and the feel of earth under his feet has been the most unnerving part of being here. Or, perhaps not that, but the lack of freedom to truly roam. The entrapment is stifling.

His ears droop slightly, tail still. "The only life here are those like us, hailing from other realms."

[why_me]

"No one native to this place then?" he asks, looking around. He can't help but think of Maragor, empty as it was, the remnants of towns and villages left behind as they walked through.

"I don't suppose you've seen a black haired woman with a streak in her hair. Or a red haired woman with two children? Perhaps a grey bearded older man?"

gym

[neuralnet]

Haruto had never been one to visit gyms, back in Tokyo. He didn't have the time, and he couldn't afford the membership fee. He got his share of exercise working menial labor jobs, or climbing the several flights of stairs to his apartment. But, ever since he woke up in the gym those few weeks ago, and especially following Amos' network post advising the dangers of losing muscle mass in space, Haruto had been visiting the fitness area more and more.

Sometimes there were other people in there, in which case Haruto smiled and made polite conversation, but mostly kept to himself. This time, however, there is a large wolf in the gym. This is... unexpected. Haruto was unaware there were animals of any kind on the station.

He freezes in the doorway, unsure what the best course of action is. He's never encountered a wolf before.

gym

[why_me]

[ The wolf notices him, because he's louder than a field mouse, after all, and turns to face him, looking at him thoughtfully for a moment before sitting up to nod at him. There, see? Intelligent communication is possible here. ]

[neuralnet]

[ That earns a confused furrow in Haruto's brow, his head tilting slightly. He speaks, quietly, as calmly as he can manage, ] Can you understand me?

[why_me]

[ It's not easy to nod as a wolf, they aren't designed for it. But he does it.]

[neuralnet]

[ This is... Well, it doesn't make much sense. Maybe it's an alien wolf. Or a yokai, a wolf that lived so long it became sentient. Haruto doesn't believe in those old myths, but he's learned there are people and things here he's never imagined. ]

Do you... need help?

[ He had, when he'd arrived. So it's only polite to offer. ]