Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Quirky Beauty (1x1)

Fial looked down at the cat. "Hm, I'm sorry. Here, I'll get you some tuna." He smiled and got some out from the cupboard, putting it on the counter. His eyes focused on the cat, knowing something was bothering the thing. "Riiko, will you get me my paints and brushes from on top of my dresser, please?" He smiled and kissed her cheek, then once she was gone he looked right at Jinx.

"What's on your mind?"

Riiko nodded to his request, setting Jinx down onto the chair, before heading to his bed room to fetch what he wanted. Jinx looked up to Fial as he spoke.

"I don't like the fact that things are developing between you and Riiko," the cat said, his eyes not waivering from Fials. "It's all too fast, and she can't be involved like that. And as her guardian, I don't think it is at all best." His tail was twitching wildly behind him as he spoke.

Fial shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jinx. I can't stop it. You know doing so right now would only hurt us both. You know that I will be the last person to ever hurt her. And I won't let anyone else hurt her, either. I swear it. If anyone comes after her..." For a moment, his dark side showed. "I'll kill them first and send them all to hell."

He shook his head then, and turned away. "I'm not letting anyone else be taken from me. You have to understand, Jinx. Riiko's growing up. She's making her own decisions. Let her live a little. She needs to enjoy life."

Jinx stood up straight, and rather quickly. His back raised in anger as he looked at Fial. "Don't try to act all noble. Saying that you will protect her. She can make her own decisions, but if she makes the wrong one, it WILL have undesirable consequences. Believe me, I KNOW. I'm meant to be her guide; to make sure she doesn't make the same mistake I did. So don't tell me that you will protect her, because there are far worse things than death."

Riiko came out of Fial's room with his painting goods, but stopped short when she saw Jinx. "Why are you in a huff, Jinx?!" she said, concerned as she made his way over to him. But the cat returned to his cool demeanor as she did, lifting his paw to lick it.

Fial had many questions to ask. Jinx's words brought up many wonders. However, when Riiko came out and asked that question, Fial quickly covered it. "That's my fault, I'm afraid. I was petting him and lost my train of thought, and I guess I started petting him the wrong way." He smiled sheepishly, then took the painting supplies and made his way over to the easel at the window.

"Thank you, Riiko. You're a big help."

He didn't want to think about Jinx's words. If he were to stop their relationship now, it would hurt Riiko. But wouldn't it hurt her even more to do it later? He sighed. This just wasn't going to end well.

She looked between the two of them, not quite sure if she should believe the excuse or not. But she had no reason to not, so she just smiled at Fial when he thanked her.

"What are you going to paint?" she asked taking a seat near him and would watch him set up. She hadn't actually watched him paint before, and wondered if it would look fun to where she might want to attempt it sometime.

Fial sat there for a few moments. "I don't know. I suppose we'll find out." He dipped his brush in the paint, and then started spreading it along the canvas. Slowly, the scene came into view. It was a forest scene. A waterfall surrounded by trees, grass, and flowers. A ghostly shape slowly started taking form, fleshed out into a tall, slim elven princess. A little fox-squirrel would be painted in her hands, with a pretty collar around his neck.

It looked like a scene right out of a fairytale book. The princess was looking over her shoulder, as if someone were coming. Fial didn't speak a word as he painted. He was, as some would say, 'in the zone'.

Riiko watched, slow to get into it at first. Then, once everything started to take shape, she began to watch with more curiousity. Her eyes watched his every brush stroke, and her tail seemed to move as his arm moved, mimicking what he did. It was a lovely picture, and she suddenly found herself wishing she could be the girl in the picture, in that scene. She was so pretty.

Fial's phone rang. The look in his eyes changed, but he didn't faulter a single stroke. He set the brush down, stood up and picked up the phone. "Hello? Ah...yes, it's almost done. Mhm. Yes, tomorrow will be fine. No, I remember. Alright. Thank you. Goodbye." He hung up, then sighed and glanced at the clock. "Oh, goodness! Will you look at the time? I completely got carried away, I'm so sorry Riiko! You should have told me, I didn't mean to make you sit for so long."

He smiled. "So what would you like to do today? It is your day off, after all. And perhaps you could see about having the afternoon shift tomorrow instead of going in at the morning? If you'd like, you can come with me when I deliver this painting. It is for an old friend of mine. From my home village."

Riiko had hardly noticed the time herself, and waved it off like it was nothing. But then she looked at him with interest when he said he was going to deliver the painting to an old friend. And from him home village. Riiko felt she was getting closer to Fial, just by him allowing her to do things like that.

"Was that who was on the phone?" she asked standing up. She remembered the call he had gotten once before while she was there.

Fial nodded. "Yes. He called to ask how the painting was coming and to see if I could get it to him by tomorrow." He smiled at the picture. "I'm almost done. I can finish it tonight, and things will be just fine." He smiled at her. "I'd like for you to come, if you can make it. We'll go tomorrow morning, if you can call off work." He handed her the telephone.

Riiko took the phone from him and stared at it. It felt a bit odd, to call into work and ask for a different shift, or the day off altogether. She swallowed, but then dialed the number. She soon was talking to someone on the other lines, asking them what options were available for her for the day. Eventually, she agreed with the person on the other side, and hung up the phone. She looked at Fial, and then grinned.

"I have the day off, so we can take as long as you want!" She clasped her hands in front of her and continued to smile. She was actually excited to meet someone that Fial knew from his past.

Fial wrapped her in his arms, holding her close. "That's great! I'm glad. Now, I'll get us some lunch and then I'll finish painting." He would let go and then head over to make them a nice lunch, making sure that Jinx got something to eat too. So after he had finished eating, Fial settled himself back in his seat and would finish the painting. It didn't take long. A half hour perhaps.

"Riiko...do you mind if I paint you and Jinx?" He already had one picture of her, but he wanted to do a very good one. For reasons that he couldn't yet tell her. His mind was made up on something very important. "All you have to do is just sit over there with Jinx on your lap." He smiled. "I can even turn on the TV if it will keep you occupied."

Riiko finished eating as well and watched at Fial finished his painting, quite impressed with the result. She blinked though, when he asked her if he could paint her and Jinx.

Jinx let out a sort of coughing sound, but Riiko smiled and nodded her head. "Of course!" She thought it was a bit weird, but she didn't mind at all. She made her way over to the sofa, and gently placed the cat in her lap. He was someone reluctant of course.

Fial painted her. He was there for a while, making sure he got everything perfect. He couldn't mess this up. It would be his last memory of her. "There...done." At last. It took a while, but she was very special to him. "Okay. Time for bed." He kissed her cheek, then put everything away. "Oh, by the way. Can I see Jinx for a moment? I want to get a rough sketch of him." He wanted to talk to him, actually. But he couldn't tell Riiko that.

Riiko was indeed sleepy, and didn't object at all to Fial 'sketching' Jinx. She yawned, gave Fial one last smile, before disappearing into her room for sleep.

Jinx watched, to make sure she was gone, before he hopped off the couch and made his way toward Fial. "I hope you are actually wanting to talk. I'm not much for being a sketch subject."

Fial sighed softly. "You're right. I need to cut this off now." He looked at the painting, hesitated, but then spoke. "When we go tomorrow...I'm leaving her in the care of my friend. He has a sister more adept at magic than I am, and she'll be able to help Riiko learn. They also have a place for you both to stay, and it will be simple to get Riiko to her job."

He closed his eyes. "I'm not telling her until tomorrow. I still don't know how I'm going to do it. So...just be there for her, alright Jinx? She's going to need you." He opened his eyes and headed to his room. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

Jinx watched as Fial spoke, and turned his head when Fial told him he would need to take care of Riiko. "You are doing the right thing," the cat said, sitting at his full height. He looked like he wanted to say more, but he wouldn't as he watched Fial make his way to his bedroom.

He would sit there for quite a bit longer, just staring at the bedroom Fial was in. Eventually though, he would turn and make his way to Riiko's room, to sleep.

Fial was up early that morning. Trying to deal with what he had to do. He went out and made breakfast, got dressed, packaged up the painting so that it could be carried safely, and waited for Riiko to come out. He felt sick. He felt like crying. But none of this showed on his smiling face. "Riiko, Jinx, breakfast is ready!" he called lightly. This was going to be hard.

Riiko rolled over in her bed. not wanting to get up. "It's too early..." she mumbled, but quickly remembered what she would be doing today. She sat up, rather quickly, and rubbed her eyes. She poked Jinx, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, and woke him from his sleep as well. He stretched out and yawned, and they both made their way to the kitchen.

"Yum, this looks good," she said, sitting down and eating. "So, are you excited to go see your friend?"